


Broken World

by Guy_McNichts



Category: Mortal Kombat (Video Games)
Genre: Game: Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath DLC, Gen, Post-Game: Mortal Kombat 11
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:14:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 23
Words: 118,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27212506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Guy_McNichts/pseuds/Guy_McNichts
Summary: In the aftermath of Kronika's war and Shang Tsung's betrayal, the world is broken. But it shall be remade. The worthy will receive what they've earned. And the damned...what they deserve.
Comments: 26
Kudos: 51





	1. Home

Kitana opened her eyes.

The canopy drapes swayed from the gentle breeze coming from the balcony. Outside she saw a shining turquoise sky with only the slightest wisp of clouds in the distance. She heard the ocean and the song of birds singing. Beside her was a vase of flowers that filled the air with a pleasant aroma she’d never known.

She sat up and took in the large, comfy bed she lay in. The sheets were silk and as soft as a newborn’s flesh. The sleeping gown she wore seemed to be a similar material. The quilt covering her was thick but fluffy and light. They, like the rest of the chamber, were soft hues of white, gold, and blue.

 _I must be dead_.

It seemed the only reasonable explanation for her surroundings. Climbing out of bed, she took a closer look out the balcony and found she was atop an ivory tower in some grand palace. The ocean was indeed nearby, as was a vast forest of green so bright it seemed to glow in the sun.

This was not Outworld. She didn’t even think this was Earthrealm. A paradise this glorious could only be the mythical heavens where the dead go, though that begged the question of how she managed to get there.

The door at the other end of the chamber creaked open and in entered a woman of brown skin, dark hair, and elegant green and maroon clothing. Jade gasped upon seeing her and nearly dropped the pitcher she was carrying.

“Kitana! You’re awake!”

Before she could respond, Jade rushed to her and practically tackled her in a crushing hug.

“Thank the gods!” she said. “We thought we lost you!”

“Jade? What’s happening?”

“Wait here!” she said, releasing her. “Your parents need to know!”

And again, before she could respond, Jade was rushing out of the chamber. Kitana remained in place, trying to recall her last memory. It was oddly blurred and hollow, as if she’d been drinking the night before and couldn’t remember past a certain point. But wherever she had been, whatever she was doing, she couldn’t imagine how it led to her being here.

Jade rushed back in and took her hands. “Are you okay? Do you need anything? Should you even be standing?”

“Jade,” she said. “I don’t understand what’s happening. Where are we? What is this place?”

Jade hesitated and blinked. “Oh, yes,” she said. “The healer warned your memory might be lost. That’s okay. We’ll have to—”

“Where is she?! Where’s my Kitana?!”

Another woman entered the chamber. Clad in a beautiful purple and gold gown, she had long, silky white hair and dark eyes that looked eager and expectant. Upon seeing her, a grateful smile came to Sindel’s face.

She managed only a single step before her daughter shrieked, “ _Get away from me_!”

Kitana threw herself backward and slammed against the wall. Her hip banged against the vase of flowers, causing it to shatter on the floor. She barely felt the broken shard stab her foot, but knew its sting confirmed this was no dream.

“Don’t touch me!” she screamed, frantically searching for some kind of weapon. “You stay away!”

Sindel stopped in her tracks and looked mortified. Jade put her hands up like she was trying to tame a wild animal.

“Kitana!” she said. “Just calm down! Everything is okay!”

Kitana looked from Jade to her mother to Jade again. “What are you talking about?! You were there! You know what she did!”

“Kitana,” said Sindel. “It’s me. I’m your—”

“I know who you are!” she barked. “You think I’ll ever forget what you did to me?!”

“What’s the shouting?”

Now a tall man of dark hair dressed in regal robes entered. He stopped beside Sindel with a look of confusion and concern on his bearded face. Kitana looked him in the eye and felt her heart pound. She only knew his face from portraits and statues but dared not believe. It couldn’t be him. It wasn’t possible.

“Father?”

“I don’t know what’s wrong, Jerrod,” Sindel said. “She just started panicking for no reason.”

“It’s okay,” he said, slowly approaching. “The healers warned us about this. Kitana, I understand if you’re feeling confused. Just be calm, and we’ll help you.”

She pressed her back against the wall, wishing for somewhere to go. Her breathing was frantic, and the floor seemed to sway beneath her feet. “You,” she said between panicked breaths. “You’re not … you can’t be …”

“Kitana,” Jerrod said. “It’s okay. I’m your father. I’m here …”

“You’re not!” she screamed, darting toward the balcony. “You … it’s you, Shang Tsung! It has to be you!”

“Shang Tsung?”

“I will not be deceived by you, sorcerer!”

“Listen to him, Kitana,” said Jade. “Please, just calm down. You’re confused. You’re upset. That’s fine. Let us—”

“Why?” she choked out, tears filling her eyes. “Jade, why are you helping them? Don’t you … don’t you remember what they did to us?”

She felt dizzy. Her head throbbed as if it would split in two. Why was this happening? What new torture were her enemies doing now? Why was Jade allowing it to happen?

She glanced over her shoulder. The tower was high, and she saw nothing to jump to. But she had to escape. Somehow. Even if it was suicide.

“I won’t let you hurt me again!”

She lunged, intent on diving over the railing. She heard Sindel scream, but Jerrod managed to grab her before she went over. He wrapped his arms around her, and she struggled and kicked and screamed as he dragged her back inside.

“Sindel!” Jerrod said. “Get the healer! Jade, help me with her!”

They wrestled her to the bed and pinned her down. They were talking, but she heard nothing over the sound of her roars. She thrashed and fought as hard as she could, but there was no escape.

When it became clear she wouldn’t get free, she stopped resisting. She looked her “father” in his eyes, certain it was that damned shape-shifter, and tried to understand what game he was playing at. Did he really think she’d believe he was her father? What could he hope to gain from this latest mockery?

She looked to Jade and tried to guess what had happened to her friend. Perhaps it wasn’t really Jade, but another shape-shifter? Or maybe she was entranced—taken by the sorcerer’s magic? There had to be an explanation, because she would never …

She almost thought Jade would never betray her. But then she never would’ve believed her mother would betray her.

Sindel returned with an elderly fellow she didn’t recognize. He wore a plain white and gray robe and carried with him a leather bag that clinked as he set it down. The first thing he took from it was a small vial of some clear liquid.

“Drink some of this,” he said, pressing it to her lips. “It’ll put you at ease.”

Kitana glared at the man and the people holding her down. Some kind of poison? No, she thought, they wouldn’t go through all this just to poison her. Something to alter her mind more likely, but should she spit it out or play along?

She took a small sip but pretended to drink more than she did. He didn’t seem to notice or force it on her. Putting the vial away, he nodded to Jerrod and Jade who released her and stepped away from the bed. Despite the impulse to flee, she remained still and allowed to old man to check her.

“Now then,” he said, looking into each of her eyes. “You obviously have your strength. What is the last thing you remember, your highness?”

There was still no clear memory of the last thing she did before waking up here. She was certain she had spoken with Jade or Liu after the battle. She vaguely recalled confusion and chaos outside Kronika’s Keep.

But there was one thing she still remembered with heartbreaking clarity.

“I remember the Sea of Blood,” she said. “There were dead bodies all around me. I was reaching for Liu Kang’s hand. I remember my mother standing over me. Laughing. She said she wanted me in chains so I could live with the pain of my failure.”

Her eyes never left Sindel. Her mother paled and covered her mouth. She looked horrified and even ill. A fine performance, Kitana thought. You could almost believe the idea of hurting her own daughter sickened her.

“That sounds like quite the nightmare, your highness,” the healer said. “No wonder you’re so upset.”

“The nightmare hasn’t ended yet.”

“By the gods, what is she saying?” Sindel said. “What’s the matter with her?”

“Please, your grace,” the healer said, turning his attention to Kitana’s injured foot. “Your daughter has endured some ordeal. I knew if she awoke there was a good chance she would be withdrawn or even hostile.”

“But you didn’t warn us of this,” Sindel said. “Listen to her! She’s like a completely different person.”

“The mind is a remarkable thing,” he said. “It would appear in her unconscious state Kitana conjured some vivid and terrifying visions. Given the memory loss she’s likely suffering, it’s understandable those visions are the only thing she can latch onto.”

“What are you talking about?” Kitana asked. “What visions? What memory loss?”

“Princess Kitana,” he said. “I realize you’re feeling very disoriented right now, so this will be difficult to take. But you’ve been asleep for some time. What I believe the Earthrealmers refer to as a ‘coma.’”

Kitana sat up, staring at him. Her first instinct was to call him a liar. It wasn’t possible. She looked to Jade, who said, “Close to two months.”

“We’d feared we lost you, ‘Tana,” Jerrod said. “We’ve prayed every day you’d wake up again.”

She shook her head and tried to make sense of it. It had to be a ruse. This was Shang Tsung’s trickery—posing as her father, entrancing Jade, and serving this ridiculous story about a coma. It had to be.

“You’re telling me everything I remember … everything I’ve been through … suffered and endured … all of it was just a dream?”

“A bad dream by the sound of it,” the healer said, standing up. “But over now.”

She sneered. How stupid did they think she was? Tsung was always arrogant and looked down on her, but he couldn’t possibly think she’d accept this. It was infuriating. And that he would desecrate her father’s image—with her mother’s approval no doubt—made her sick to her stomach.

“I don’t know what demented game you bastards are playing,” she said. “But if you’re going to torture or kill me, just be done with it. You’ve already taken everything else from me.”

Jerrod stared at her as if she’d said the most outlandish thing he’d ever heard. “No one is going to hurt you, ‘Tana.”

“Don’t you dare call me that.”

A pained looked came to her mother’s face. “By the gods, Kitana. What are you—”

“ _You don’t speak to me, you witch_!”

Sindel actually flinched. Jerrod took her in his arms and consoled her. As angry as she was, seeing it almost made Kitana want to cry out. There was a time, and not long ago, she believed her mother was a good and loving woman. And there was a moment, painfully brief, she thought she had that woman back after thousands of years.

But it was a lie. Her mother was every bit the monster her step-father. And now she was being forced to watch this mocking display. She had to sit and watch her mother and Shang Tsung—or whoever it really was—taunt her with the loving family she should’ve had.

“I beg your pardon, your grace,” Jade said. “But perhaps you should cancel tonight’s ball? You don’t need this on your mind on top of everything else.”

“I appreciate your concern,” he said. “But it’s too late to cancel, and it’s much too important. In the meantime, Kitana needs rest.”

He motioned Sindel and Jade to leave. The healer followed. Kitana wouldn’t take her eyes off him, convinced this would be the moment Tsung revealed himself and strangled or stabbed her.

Instead, he took her hand and said, “The nightmare’s over. You’re safe.

“You’re home.”

* * *

Scorpion opened his eyes.

The smell of incense was in the air—a warm, welcoming aroma that filled him with nostalgia. The window shade was aglow with the sunlight shining behind it, and it gave the room a subtle golden hue. Familiar wooden beams that he remembered constructing lined the ceiling.

He sat up and knew Harumi was likely preparing breakfast. Satoshi should be in his crib. He’d had this dream before. This was the life he had before he died. Before it was all taken from him by Quan Chi. It was a painful thing to be reminded of what he lost, but still welcome to revisit. Even if was just a dream he’d wake up from.

Harumi appeared at the door. She smiled upon seeing him and was a vision despite clearly just waking up herself. “Feeling better?”

She sat at the mirror and began tying her hair. Scorpion, without a word, went to her and wrapped his arms around her. She giggled as he pulled her to the bed in his embrace. If this was another dream, he would enjoy it while it lasted.

“I guess so,” she said, kissing him.

She straddled him as he lay on his back. Her long, black hair hung loose and over him as she leaned in to kiss him again.

“You were always a beauty, Kana.”

“Oh?” she replied, smirking. “You like when I look like an _onryō_?”

“I never told you enough. I know you didn’t need to be reminded every day, but I was a lucky man.”

She kissed him again and climbed off the bed. “Still are, Hanzo- _san_. Now you’d better get ready before Takeda gets here.”

He almost pulled her back, but that name halted him. Takeda? The founder of the Shirai Ryu? Why would she mention him? And even if he was somehow alive, why would he wish to meet? Scorpion had dreamed of being with his family and clan again many times since his death, but Takeda making an appearance was new.

Harumi tied her hair into a loose tail and left the room. As he put his robe on, he was surprised by how vivid and real this latest dream felt. And oddly linear. Usually by this point the dream would jump in time and location—often shifting to a nightmare as Quan Chi or Sub-Zero stormed in to kill.

Looking in the mirror, he was also somewhat surprised he was indeed Hanzo Hasashi and not the spectral Scorpion.

He decided not to dwell on it and instead use the opportunity to see Satoshi. He found his infant son standing in his crib, looking eager to climb out. The boy’s eyes gleamed at the sight of his father, and he raised his hands to the air with an excited smile.

Scorpion picked up his son, felt his weight in his hands, and was hit with pained longing. The boy’s brown eyes sparkled with life. His tiny hands groped at his beard. Satoshi was barely over a year old when …

The anger burned. It smoldered inside, and all he could see was that damned sorcerer. “I will avenge you, my son,” he growled. “Whatever becomes of the realms, I will never rest until I make the bastard pay.”

That was enough. He placed Satoshi back into the crib and went to the den. It was just as he remembered it before that fateful night he ventured to the Shaolin Temple. It was nice to be back in his home, reunited with his wife and son, but it was only a dream. They were long gone, and all that remained was his solitary quest.

He shut his eyes, expecting the dream to end or become a nightmare any moment. Then he’d wake up and get back to work.

Any moment.

“Hanzo! What are you doing?”

When he opened his eyes, he was still in his home. Harumi stared at him from the kitchen with an expectant look.

“Are you going to shower? Get dressed? I’ll make breakfast, but Takeda is on his way.”

He blinked at her, feeling lost. “I … I’m not …”

She went to him and felt his forehead. “Are you still feeling ill? I know you had trouble sleeping, but I hoped the worst was over.”

There was a knock at the door. She answered, and in entered a young man wearing the apprentice garb of a Shirai Ryu. Harumi greeted him as Takeda, but Scorpion had never seen the boy before. This dream was becoming very peculiar.

“Grandmaster Hasashi,” Takeda said with a bow. “I’m pleased to see you’re feeling better.”

_Grandmaster?_

“I’m sorry, Takeda,” Harumi said. “But I fear Hanzo may still be unwell. He might need more rest after all.”

Without a word, Scorpion strode to the window and couldn’t believe his eyes. He was back in his home, yes, but his home was in a new location. Outside he saw a vast field of red and orange trees with a stream and pond. The Fire Garden, as his future self had left it.

He turned to Takeda and remembered. He met a version of himself from the future—one resurrected who went on to reform the Shirai Ryu. Before he was killed by D’Vorah, he urged Scorpion to help Raiden and his fighters against Kronika.

The Takeda boy must have been his apprentice. But … Harumi and Satoshi? It wasn’t possible …

“Forgive me, Grandmaster,” Takeda said. “If you need more rest, I’ll inform the emissary from the Lin Kuei that—”

“Stop,” he barked, feeling dizzy. Was this not a dream after all? But if that was true, how could Harumi and Satoshi be alive? Was this more of Kronika’s trickery? “This … this doesn’t make sense …”

“Hanzo,” Harumi said. “You should go back to bed. You’re clearly still—”

“What emissary?” he demanded. “What does the Lin Kuei want?”

Takeda seemed taken aback by his tone. “I think it’s the one called Smoke. He … you meet with him often.”

He didn’t understand. He had many questions, but one thing above all took precedence. He might not be in his own time, or this might be some new deception, but if his wife and son were somehow alive, he needed to protect them at all costs. And whatever his future self’s relationship with the Lin Kuei might have been, to Scorpion, they were the ancient enemies of the Shirai Ryu.

“Takeda, stay here with Harumi and Satoshi. See to it nothing happens to them. I will meet Smoke, and I will get to the bottom of this.”

* * *

Before leaving, the healer offered another potion that was supposed to help Kitana sleep. She pretended to drink but spit it out when no one was looking. Her parents and Jade offered kind words and reassurances, but she only watched them in silence like a cat might watch a potential threat—ready to spring if need be.

For the next hour, she paced around the chamber. She searched every inch of it, not sure what she was looking for, but determined to find anything that might be out of place. The door to the balcony was shut and locked, probably in the fear she’d try jumping again. The only thing of worth she found were a pair of razor-sharp steel fans beneath the mattress of her bed. She was pleased to be armed, but at the same time her suspicions were even more aroused. If this was some trap or game devised by her enemies, why would they allow her weapons?

She pondered the nature of her surroundings. If this was an illusion, it was far beyond anything Shang Tsung or Quan Chi could conjure. Maybe they had her trapped in some abandoned fortress and used their magic to make it appear as an Edenian palace? Perhaps she was being held somewhere and entranced in a dream? The wound on her foot felt real though. She poked her finger with the tip of her fan, drawing a thin stream of blood, and that pain felt real, too.

Having had her fill of her chamber, she put on some fresh clothes and ventured out. If she was trapped in an illusion, surely the spell had limits. And if someone confronted her and tried to keep her confined to her room, that would further prove something was wrong.

The stairs down the tower led to a hall of stone columns, large, draped windows, and a polished floor of marble. Works of art lined the walls, as did the occasional statue of great Edenian warriors and rulers she didn’t recognize. If it was all a sorcerer’s deception, it was certainly detailed.

“Kitana? Should you be out of bed?”

She almost drew her fans on reflex. But recognizing Jade’s voice, she took a breath and kept her weapons sheathed behind her back.

“Were you guarding me?” she asked.

“Standing by in case you needed anything. Are you feeling better?”

Kitana looked at her friend and tried to anticipate her part in all this. “I just want to be on my feet,” she said. “If what you said is true, I think I’ve slept enough.”

Jade smiled and nodded, but with a hint of sadness in her eyes. “May I join you?”

They walked down the great hall in silence. It was outwardly pleasant, but the tension was palatable. Kitana supposed she should try to get information, but she didn’t know what to even ask or if Jade could be trusted. Was it even really Jade? Was she being controlled? It could be her but entrapped by the illusion and unaware.

Or could the worst be true?

 _Please, not you, too_ , she thought, praying Jade hadn’t betrayed her. Her mother’s betrayal tore her heart out. If she lost Jade as well, it would be too much to bear.

“‘If’ what we said is true,” Jade said. “ _If_. You truly don’t trust us now?”

“What am I to think, Jade? I went through a lifetime of horror, deception and betrayal just to wake up and be told it was all a dream. And I conveniently can’t remember anything beyond that. What would you have me do?”

“The healer said your memories should return,” she said. “But not if you fight them.”

“What even happened? Why was I in a coma?”

“You were out riding,” she began. “Alone, as you like to do sometimes. But your horse was bitten by a snake and bucked you off. We know because we found her dead a hundred yards from where we found you. It was a bad fall made worse because we don’t know how long you were lying there. You were practically dead when they brought you back.

“The healers mended you as best they could,” she continued. “It seemed like you’d pull through, but then the fever hit. You got worse and worse, and I swear, one night we thought you were having a seizure. You almost died.”

A chill went through Kitana’s blood. Her first instinct was this was more deception. A story so mundane, it was almost easy to believe. But doubt crept into her mind. Was it possible all the pain and suffering were simply a nightmarish fever dream born out of being near death?

“When you finally stabilized,” Jade said, sniffling and wiping her eye. “The healers prepared us for the worst. You might never wake up. You might wake up but be … damaged. Permanently. And, yes, you’d have no memory.”

A tear dripped down her cheek. But she smiled and hugged her tight.

“You really scared us,” she said. “But it’s over. I don’t know what you saw in those visions or dreams or whatever they were, but they’re gone now. You can let it go. Come back to us.”

Kitana hugged her back and looked toward the window beside them. Edenia stretched out beyond, a glorious picture of perfection and beauty. Rolling hills of green and grand mountains with waterfalls and rivers lining the land. Her home—the one she always wished for. Could it all be true? Had everything been a nightmare finally over?

“Jade … I …”

“There she is! There! She! Is!”

She turned from Jade only to get snatched in another crushing hug. It took a moment to register the smiling woman’s face before her. It was a face she recognized, but not one she was used to seeing outside of a mirror.

“Mileena?”

“Who else would it be?” she replied before hugging her again. “I was out with Skarlet, but I came as soon as I heard. I’m so glad you’re better. I know this will sound crazy, but somehow I knew today would be the day. The healers kept saying to prepare for the worst, but I knew … I just knew you’d be okay.”

Mileena was smiling, and it was surreal. There were no sharp teeth. No fangs or devilish Tarkatan grin. Not even yellow eyes. It was just her, and she was beautiful.

“What’s wrong?”

“I …” she said. “Mileena, I just … I can’t believe you …”

“Oh!” Mileena cut in. “And tonight’s the ball! This is perfect!”

“Mileena,” said Jade. “Kitana is … her memories aren’t all there. She’s out of sorts from everything that happened. She should probably sit out the ball.”

“Oh, I see,” she said. “Yeah, I guess it might be much. But then again, maybe it’ll help. All our friends will be there. Especially you-know-who.”

She winked and gave a playful jab on the shoulder. Kitana stared at her, feeling lost and adrift.

“Who?”

“Your fiancée, dummy,” she said. “Besides, you really think when _Liu Kang_ finds out you’re on your feet again anything’s going to stop him from seeing you?”

* * *

The Fire Garden was quiet and serene. The only sound to be heard was the gentle breeze as it blew through the trees. Red and orange leaves rained from above and drifted along the ground like the embers of a dying blaze.

Scorpion stood outside the gate dressed and armed for battle. Although the scenery was peaceful, he was tense. In every corner, he expected movement. He felt certain enemies were all around him. He didn’t understand how or why he had come to this place and time with his wife and son still alive, so he settled into what he did know: combat.

Takeda claimed Smoke would appear at the gate. That he even knew the Fire Garden’s location would suggest trust. Though Scorpion knew little of the man himself, he knew him to be a friend of the younger Sub-Zero. As much as he despised the Lin Kuei, and despite their own differences, he respected Kuai Liang.

He also needed to account for his future self’s accomplishments. They had little time to talk before he fell, but he had apparently made peace with Sub-Zero’s Lin Kuei.

Yet the fact remained: somehow, some way, Harumi and Satoshi were alive. As far as he was concerned, keeping them so was paramount above all else and his alliance with the Lin Kuei meant nothing compared to that. If he sensed even the slightest ill-will from Smoke, he would not hesitate to kill him, Sub-Zero, and anyone else that got in his way.

There would be time to wonder how his family was brought back—and dread the price it would surely cost—later.

A few yards ahead, a cloud of smoke manifested from seemingly nowhere. When it cleared, the gray and black Lin Kuei stood before him, his silver hair swaying in the wind and matching eyes cool.

He bowed and said, “Good morning, Grandmaster.”

“What is your business, Lin Kuei?”

“I bring tidings from Sub-Zero,” he replied. “We heard you’ve been ill.”

“Have I?”

“Food poisoning was it? Sounds like bad luck.”

Scorpion kept his hands to his sides, fists clenched, and was ready to draw a weapon. Smoke seemed at ease—even casual—but that only made him more tense. Was he supposed to believe this Lin Kuei had come all this way just to chat about his health?

“You came alone?”

“Yes,” Smoke replied. “Are you okay? You seem on edge.”

He didn’t answer. Although his eyes were on Smoke, he focused his attention on everything around him. This had to be a trap or distraction. He should return to the house, he thought. The Lin Kuei were closing in, he could feel it.

Concern came to Smoke’s face. His eyes shifted from left to right, and keeping his voice low, he asked, “Hanzo, do you suspect something?”

“How do you mean?” he replied, his hand moving closer to his kunai. “Is something amiss?”

“I wasn’t followed. But do you suppose …?”

Smoke tensed, and gray mist swirled around his body. He was bracing himself for attack. Scorpion took hold of his kunai. If this was a trap, he would beat answers out of the Lin Kuei—his truce with Sub-Zero be damned.

He prepared to throw …

“Tomas! Welcome!”

Harumi approached and greeted Smoke with a bow. The Lin Kuei gave one of his own and said, “Lady Harumi! It’s always a pleasure to see you.”

Scorpion rarely felt fear, but upon seeing his wife in the open, cold terror snatched his spine. She was supposed to stay in the house. She shouldn’t have come. This was when the trap would be sprung …

“Hanzo,” she said, shaking her head. “Are you really going to make him stand outside the whole time?”

“It’s no trouble,” Smoke said. “I just assumed you husband preferred no smoking in his home.”

“That joke’s still not funny, Tomas.” She looked at Scorpion and said, “Hanzo, if you’re still ill you should go back to bed.”

“I hope I’m not imposing,” Smoke said. “This visit is nothing that can’t wait. But I assume you’re still not planning to attend the royal ball in Edenia?”

“Royal ball? Why would I go to a ball in Edenia?”

“Oh, yes,” Harumi said. “Why would a husband take his wife to a fancy ball in a royal palace? Why would I ever want that?”

“A valid point,” Smoke said with a smirk. “At any rate, Kuai Liang just wanted me to make sure you were well and confirm if you were going or not. To tell the truth, he’s been tense himself lately.”

“Oh?” Harumi said. “Seems to be a lot of that going around.”

“I think it’s the price of peace,” he said. “One tends to expect the worst when things seem to be at their best.”

“Only if you’re morbidly negative,” she said. “Which explains my husband at least.”

“If anything important happens at the ball, we’ll let you know. Oh, and Hanzo- _san_ , remember the next Mortal Kombat is in just a few months. I’ve been practicing with my kunai, and I’m looking forward to testing my skills against the legendary Scorpion.”

He gave a parting bow and disappeared in another cloud of smoke.

* * *

The ball started in early evening. Kitana heard gentle, elegant music playing even in her chamber. From her balcony, she saw the guests arrive—nobility from Edenia and Outworld. High ranking figures from Earthrealm. The guests of honor were men and women glad in golden armor that was familiar, but she couldn’t place. It certainly appeared to be a lavish and luxurious affair.

She wasn’t expected to appear. It was apparently accepted she was supposed to be in a coma and would’ve been left in peace while the party went on. Considering she’d only just woken up, and her memory issues, she was told she could remain in her chamber to rest.

But Kitana’s suspicions hadn’t abated in the slightest. She still couldn’t tell if she was ensnared in some sorcerer’s illusion or trapped in a demented dream, but she thought if she was going to find any answers, it would be at the ball.

Though tempted to go as she was, she figured it best to blend in. She rummaged through her closet and found a blue dress with gold trim that hung off one shoulder. It was funny, she thought. Looking back on her years serving Shao Kahn, despite being “The Emperor’s Daughter,” she didn’t recall many instances where she was called upon to dress fancy.

It probably said something about her as a person that, upon seeing herself in her pretty dress, her first thought was how likely blood stains could be washed out of it.

The ballroom was a massive chamber with a high domed ceiling. A great chandelier lit with what had to be hundreds of candles overlooked the center of the room. Dozens, maybe hundreds of people danced and mingled about everywhere in sight. At the far end, a small band played pleasant music. Food was being prepared somewhere, and steady stream of wine was served. It was unlike anything Kitana had ever seen in her ten thousand years.

Her parents were at the head of the chamber, but she decided to keep a low profile. If she could find out what was going on without their notice, she’d consider that a victory.

“Hey, look who it is!”

Startled, she turned sharply to find a familiar, handsome face in a well-kept Earthrealm tuxedo. Johnny Cage greeted her with a smile and cheers of his drink.

“Mileena said you were feeling better,” he said. “But no one was sure if you’d show.”

“Yes,” she said. “Well, I thought it would do me good to make an appearance.”

Behind him were two Earthrealm army officers clad in their dress uniforms. Sonya Blade and Jax greeted her with smiles and handshakes.

“It’s good to see you, K,” Sonya said. “I’m glad you’re on your feet again.”

“Same here,” Jax said. “You had us all worried.”

Kitana nodded and thanked them. She thought she should ask questions, but what could she even say? Everything seemed normal. But only a short time ago, weren’t they all dealing with the disaster outside Kronika’s Keep? Her mother’s betrayal hurt them all, too, had it not? None of them should know what Edenia even was.

“Um,” she said. “If I may ask, why are you all here?”

“Your father wanted us around to meet the Seidan emissaries,” Sonya said, gesturing to the golden armored people standing near Jerrod at the end of the ballroom. “Apparently Seido, or the Orderrealm some people call it, is looking to extend relations to other realms. Diplomatic stuff. Real boring. You’re not missing anything.”

“That’s why they’re here,” Johnny said. “I’m here for the food.”

“Jesus Christ, Johnny,” Sonya grumbled.

“No,” she said. “I mean … why were you brought to an Edenian ball?”

Johnny wasn’t paying attention, munching on some food he picked up from somewhere. Sonya seemed perplexed by the question.

Jax thought little of it and answered: “Earth and Edenia have been allies for so long, it’s a courtesy for us to represent.”

“Allies against whom?”

“Whomever,” he said. “I mean we’ve been at peace for hundreds of years now. Knock on wood.”

Kitana hesitated. Did he say peace for hundreds of years? “But what about Shao Kahn? Or Quan Chi and Shinnok?”

“Who?”

She was stunned. “What do you mean? How could you not know who Shao Kahn is? He’s the whole reason we all even know each other.”

The three of them stared at her as if she’d grown a second head.

“You feeling all right, Kits?” Johnny asked. “Mileena said you were still a little out of it.”

“Yeah,” Sonya said. “No offense, K, but maybe you should be taking it easy.”

Jax noticed someone getting their attention, and they offered friendly though concerned farewells. Sonya and Jax headed toward her father, likely to meet the Seidan emissaries, while Johnny Cage drifted to a bar for a fresh glass of wine.

Kitana backed to a corner, feeling a profound desire to shrink away and hide. Was it all an illusion? Were they all entranced? How, and more importantly why? Her skin crawled with the creeping dread she was going mad.

She looked around the ball. Sonya and Jax greeted her parents with bows and salutes. Johnny Cage was telling jokes by the bar. She saw Jade dancing … with Kotal! He was not dressed for combat, but ceremony, and she smiled as he held her in his arms. Mileena was dancing as well, and she’d never looked so happy.

Maybe she had gone mad? What if the disaster on the Sea of Blood was the final straw and her sanity snapped? Had she been confined to some asylum deep in Outworld, left to stare at a blank wall while her broken mind conjured an elaborate fantasy escape?

“You are a welcome sight.”

He appeared through the crowd, almost as if they parted just for him. He looked so unlike himself clad in his dress clothes. And yet, it almost made him look regal. His hair was pulled back in neat tail, and his smile was soft but confident. He was as handsome as she’d ever seen him.

“Liu?”

In the moment, she forgot all about her suspicions and dread. She stopped caring if it was all an illusion or dream. She could only think of her last memory of him—beaten, bloodied and defeated by Shao Kahn—and rushed to take hold of him.

“I missed you, too,” he said as she wrapped her arms around him. “Are you okay?”

“I don’t know what’s happening,” she said. “I feel like I’m going insane. Nothing makes sense, and I don’t—”

“Easy, easy,” he said. “You’ve been through a lot. No one’s expecting you to just return to normal like nothing happened.”

She wanted to believe. To hear it from him, she wanted to believe everything was as it should be, and there was no danger lurking in the shadows. He couldn’t be a part of it. Could he?

“Is this real?”

He smiled and kissed her. “Does it feel real?”

She looked into his eyes, and for the first time since she woke up that morning, she felt safe.

“You want to dance?” he asked.

Before she could reply, he led her to the center of the ballroom. The music was slow, melodic, and soothing. He held her close, and she let herself be taken by the moment.

“Be merciful,” he said. “I’ve never been much of a dancer.”

She laughed. “Neither have I.”

She held him tight, as if afraid he might slip away and be gone forever. She looked around, and all the guests watched in approval. Jade, still with Kotal, smiled at her. From afar, her mother and father looked on and seemed happy for her.

It was everything she could hope for. Her friends and family were with her. The man she loved was with her. She was in her homeland and at peace. She had wished for this for so long. It was all she wanted. More than she wanted. It was perfect.

“Kitana,” Liu said. “What’s wrong? You’re shaking.”

Too perfect. At last she understood what Shang Tsung or whoever was responsible for this was doing. They had given her everything she wanted … everything she dreamed … and that meant the sword was going to drop any moment.

“I can’t,” she said, pushing herself away from Liu. “I can’t do this.”

She rushed to the terrace outside, clutching her aching heart. The night air was cool and damp. A full moon shined over the ocean, and waves broke on the beach below.

Kitana stopped at the railing, holding herself as if she might fall to pieces. She had done terrible things in Shao Kahn’s name. She sometimes thought, at her lowest moments, that perhaps the betrayals and horror she suffered was fate’s way of paying her back.

Maybe she deserved it. Maybe what Sindel did to her on the Sea of Blood was what the Earthrealmers called karma.

But this was too much. It was cruel. Far worse than anything Shao Kahn or Mileena had ever done to her. To give her a glimpse of a perfect life—the beautiful life she so longed for—just to rip it away at the worst possible moment.

“Kitana?” Liu said, joining her on the terrace. “Are you okay?”

“No,” she said. “No, I’m not.”

He sighed and held her. “Your father told me what happened this morning,” he said. “I’m sure this is all confusing and strange to you. But your memories will come back. Just give it time.”

“No, Liu, no. It’s not that. I … for all the things I’ve faced … out of everything I’ve gone through … for the first time in my life I’m truly scared. I feel like the moment I let my guard down the ground is going to cave in underneath me. Every step I take I keep expecting the knife in my back. I can’t … I can’t accept this. I look around and I feel it in my blood something is wrong. Something awful is waiting to strike.”

She hung her head, and despair came to her. An open wound inflicted by her mother that hadn’t healed. How can she allow herself to hope for anything good again after that? After her own mother gleefully tore apart her love and dreams.

“I just want it to stop,” she said, though she wasn’t speaking entirely to Liu. “Whatever horror is coming, get it over with. I’m so tired.”

“Kitana, look at me,” he said, turning her to face him. “I can’t imagine what you must’ve seen in your coma to make you feel this way. But it’s over now. The nightmare is over. You’re safe, and everything is going to be better now.”

“Liu … I …”

“There is no dark secret. The ground isn’t going to cave in, and there’s no evil coming to get you. And even if there was, I would never let anything hurt you. Never!”

He held her close—so close she felt his heart beat. She shut her eyes and took in the night air, the warmth of his body, the smell of sea, and wanted to believe it was real. But she couldn’t shake the certainty when she opened her eyes again, she would be back on the Sea of Blood, reaching for Liu’s hand as her mother stood over her.

 _Maybe this is just a dream_ , she thought. _But would that be so bad after all?_

Was a beautiful lie better than the ugly truth? If she was only dreaming, could she not just continue sleeping?

* * *

Scorpion didn’t feel at ease the rest of the day. Much of it was spent in the house with Satoshi in his presence, as if the moment he let him or Harumi out of his sight, something terrible would come. He expected the Lin Kuei to storm the windows. He felt certain Quan Chi would reveal himself. An invasion from Outworld … Shinnok … anything.

He couldn’t even truly appreciate the joy of having his son in his arms again. The boy seemed thrilled to be around his father, but Scorpion had come too far and endured too much to let his guard down. He knew there would be a catch, and he hardened himself knowing it would come swift.

Even after Satoshi was put to bed, he stood by the door like a sentinel. He couldn’t imagine what the explanation for this was. An elaborate dream? A sorcerer’s illusion? The last thing he remembered was heading into battle against a woman who controlled time itself. A woman who plucked him from his present and left him in a time where the Shirai Ryu was restored and allied with the Lin Kuei.

Could Harumi and Satoshi have been revived somehow? If so, at what cost? He felt as though someone had struck a bargain for him without his knowledge, and he hated not knowing who pulled his strings. He spent years manipulated by Quan Chi’s lies, he would not suffer that again. Especially when his wife and son were involved.

“Hanzo,” Harumi said. “Come sit with me.”

She sat in front of the fireplace and took the rose out of her hair. Loose black locks dropped to her shoulders, and she looked ethereal with the flames behind her. It ached his heart to have her there in front of him, within reach, yet unable to appreciate it. The dread this was a trap weighed on his shoulders. A part of him feared if he so much as touched her, she would disintegrate to ash.

Sighing, he sat beside her and looked into the flames before them. Fire had become such a constant part of his life—or afterlife rather—like the unending rage inside him. He couldn’t let it go, even with his beloved right next to him. It was a part of him, and he needed it to be.

“What’s wrong?” She caressed his face, her touch so soft and gentle. “You’ve been … distant all day.”

“Why didn’t you stay in the house?” he asked. “When the Lin Kuei was here, why did you come out?”

“I know you, Hanzo. You went out there looking for a fight.”

“What if it had been a trap?”

“A trap? By whom?”

He didn’t answer and only looked at her with troubled, haunted eyes.

“The Lin Kuei? Hanzo, the clans have been allies for generations. Whatever animosity there was is long over. Kuai Liang has always respected you. You’ve met with Tomas dozens of times. Why would they destroy all that now?”

The words she spoke were so contrary to everything he knew. The very idea the Shirai Ryu and Lin Kuei could co-exist—much less be allies—was so foreign and strange to him.

“Besides,” she added. “I told Takeda to keep watch for any movement in the trees. The Lin Kuei is not our enemy, but I’m not stupid either. Listen, you’re probably still ill, and it’s making you paranoid.” She paused. “More than usual.”

“About that … what was wrong with me? Smoke mentioned food poisoning?”

“Bad sushi, I think. You were in real ugly shape for a while there. And you must’ve had some awful nightmares, because you’d wake up in the night screaming about sorcerers and wraiths and someone coming for your soul.”

He felt a chill.

“One night you just kept howling my and Satoshi’s names. You really scared me.”

His first thought was it sounded absurd. _Bad sushi_? The horror and pain he suffered, the seeming years of rage and grief … and it was all due to some poorly prepared fish? And now, having his family and clan back … no sorcerer’s deception, no Kronika, no gods. Merely a bad dream he’d woken up from?

“And,” he said, trying to make sense of it. “That’s it?”

“What do you mean? You think someone did it to you on purpose?” She rolled her eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous, Hanzo. I put poison in your tea, not your food.”

She grinned with a playful, mischievous glint in her eye, and Scorpion, in spite of his nature, managed a slight chuckle.

“So serious,” she said. “Always looking for the worst. Always thinking everything’s wrong. My father warned me you were trouble. He always told me to remember the story of the scorpion and the swan.”

“I never go looking for trouble. It just finds me.”

“That is a bald-faced lie and you know it, Hanzo- _san_. You were ready to murder poor Smoke this morning because you woke up on the wrong side of the bed.”

He laughed again and remembered Harumi was always the only one who could make him. “I’d forgotten how willful you were.”

“Were?” She took his face in her hands and looked him in the eye. “Hanzo … I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”

She kissed him, and he held her tight. For so long, he carried only the anger of his loss. It drove him and kept him moving when he might have otherwise perished long ago. But he always denied what was under the anger—the actual pain. Like a festering wound beneath a bandage he refused to look at.

“I’m lost without you, Kana,” he said. “You … you wouldn’t like the man I was without you.”

She sat across his lap and kissed him again. “You’re a good man, Hanzo. You take yourself far too seriously, but I know your heart.”

He wanted this to be real. He didn’t care what the price was or what he would have to pay. Or maybe the horror had all been a bad dream. He was never a godly man—even before his death—but Scorpion prayed then.

 _I’ll do it right this time_. _If this is my second chance, I won’t fail_.

* * *

The ball came to an end. The servants went about cleaning and putting everything away as the guests slowly filtered out. Visitors from other realms returned to their home worlds.

Liu bid Kitana farewell and returned to Earthrealm with his companions. She never fully relaxed through the whole party but being in his presence put her somewhat at ease. Now that she was awake, there was much talk of when their wedding would finally take place. Some even suggested holding it during the next Mortal Kombat—an idea she found ghoulish, but perhaps her negative feelings about the tournament was another holdover from her nightmare?

After they left, her father found her and offered a warm embrace. “I’m glad you came out, ‘Tana,” he said. “Are you feeling better?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “I feel sort of like glass. I’m afraid one wrong move and everything will break.”

“And that is perfectly understandable,” he said. “But give it time. As much as you need. You’ll get better, and we’ll all be here for you when you do.”

She smiled and took a moment to marvel that her true father was standing before her. That she could hear his voice for the first time in her life. He was still a stranger to her, but she at last could know him.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and, when she turned to look, found Sindel behind her. On reflex, she flinched and backed away with her fist clenched. Her mother was startled but held her hands up to put her at ease.

Sindel looked wounded yet forced a smile. “In time. Yes?”

Her parents left her to attend to the cleaning. Feeling exhausted, she rubbed her eyes and started back to her chamber. The palace was dark and quiet but didn’t feel threatening or foreboding—unlike Shao Kahn’s fortress back in Outworld. Roaming the halls felt strange and foreign, but Kitana thought she could get used to it. This could be home.

She turned a corner and found Mileena standing farther down the hall. She smiled, thinking that was perhaps the most surreal thing of it all. To have a true sister—genuine and even loving. Out of everything, even more than her mother, that might take the most getting used to.

As she approached, she saw Mileena looking at herself in a mirror. She almost spoke, but then saw the haunted look on her sister’s face. Mileena stared at her reflection like she’d never seen it before. She touched the glass with one hand and felt her cheeks with the other, as if something was missing or out of place. She looked lost.

“Mileena?”

Mileena looked at her, and there was a split second where intense fury came to her eyes. But just as quickly as it came, the rage passed, and she stood there blinking at her.

“Kitana,” she said. “Hello. I … I didn’t see you there.”

“Are you … okay?”

Mileena bit her lip and glanced at her reflection again. “Yes,” she said. “Yes, I just … it was the strangest thing. Have you ever felt like … you’re not sure if you’re awake or still dreaming?”

Kitana’s blood ran cold.

“I should get to bed,” Mileena said. “Long night, and I might’ve had a little too much wine. Sleep well, sister.”

Mileena left her there, and whatever ease she’d gained from the party curdled. Kitana locked herself in her chamber and sat on the bed, hugging her knees. She didn’t dare go to sleep the whole night.

**End of Chapter I**


	2. Demons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shang Tsung and Sareena find themselves unwelcome.

Shang Tsung opened his eyes.

For a moment, he thought he was in the Void. The world around him was dark and blurred. His hearing dulled, and he seemed to be floating in weightless space. It was cold, and to his distress, he couldn’t breathe.

_I’m under water_.

He gasped upon thrusting his head in the open air. Disoriented and dizzy, he flailed to the shallow end of the pond and gagged whatever water he’d swallowed. Around him were desolate hills and harsh badlands. Sand blew through the air, and the wind whined like a soul torn from its body. Above was a dim purple sky marked with strips of blood-red clouds.

He took mild comfort to be alive and in Outworld but felt no less puzzled as to how he got there. To his surprise, he appeared unharmed and still in possession of his youth, though his clothes were in tatters. A curious turn of events, as the last thing he remembered was dissolving to dust.

It was all within his grasp. He’d taken the souls of gods, Titans, and even Shao Kahn. History itself was his for the reaping. But again … again … that wretched boy was his undoing. Again he, a demon sorcerer who’d lived for over a thousand years, would be humbled by that lowly Shaolin twat.

It was infuriating, but he chose not to dwell on such matters. For whatever reason, he lived. He seemed to have lost much of the power he gained—he could not feel the souls Raiden, Kahn or the others—but despite Liu Kang’s triumph, Shang Tsung lived. He would claw his way back to power again. As long as he had breath in his body, he would endure as ever.

Unfortunately, Tsung’s confidence took an unpleasant blow as, only a few steps out of the pond, he crumbled to a knee. He clutched his chest and realized he was weaker than suspected. A realization confirmed when he felt his youth melt away.

“No … no, no, no …”

He tried to resist, but it was no avail. He collapsed to his hands and knees, and within moments, his black hair turned white and thinned, muscles withered, and his flesh sagged to wrinkles. Defeat had been humiliating enough, but he was once again reduced to his frail, ancient form, and that more than anything made Tsung curse the heavens that mocked him.

“You will pay for this, Chosen One,” he hissed. “I don’t care if you are the guardian of time itself now. I don’t care how you reshape history. I will find a way.”

In the meantime, he needed a refuge to regain his strength. In the distance, he saw the Mountains of Power on the horizon and guessed he wasn’t far from Sun Do—a simple village of commoners he could easily infiltrate. He could change his form, steal a few souls, and be gone without his enemies learning of his survival.

The trek to Sun Do went through a patch of woods where the trees seemed to be developing pained and sinister faces. By the end of the century—perhaps sooner—this would be another living forest, and the hapless residents would have to contend with the incessant moaning that went with it. To say nothing of the risk of being eaten by the damn things.

There were times Shang Tsung was reminded how much he hated Outworld.

Upon reaching the village, he took the form of a feeble beggar clad in a ragged cloak. It seemed perhaps redundant, but he didn’t want to chance someone might recognize him even in his aged form.

All seemed peaceful and serene in Sun Do, which he found surprising given recent events between the feuding Kahns. Villagers went about their day as if the wars hadn’t touched them. It was a curious sight, so incongruous from Outworld’s normal state that Tsung wondered if Liu Kang had already altered time.

But if so, how was he still alive?

He found a small shop where the keeper—a middle-aged man with greasy hair and thin beard—talked with a younger fellow who stunk of fish. “Don’t mind me, sirs,” Tsung said upon entering. “I am but a humble traveler, and I have been on the road for some time. Tell me, what news of the Kahns?”

“Not much to say, stranger,” said the keeper with a shrug. “I think Lord Kotal just got back from Edenia. All is well.”

“Oh? Kotal Kahn lives? I thought he fell in battle.”

“Battle?” the fisherman repeated. “How long have you been on the road, old-timer? There hasn’t been a battle in centuries.”

_Interesting_.

“I see,” he said. “What of Shao Kahn and Queen Sindel?”

The keeper and fisherman exchanged a look. “Never heard of any _Shao_ Kahn, but Queen Sindel is still in Edenia with her King.”

“Word is their daughter has recovered from her accident,” the fisherman said. “You ever see her? I hear she’s a real beauty.”

The keeper and fisherman then went into a debate as to which Edenian Princess was prettier despite being twins, but Tsung paid no attention. He rapped his fingers on the wooden counter and tried to guess the meaning of all this.

“Pardon me, sirs,” he interrupted. “You wouldn’t happen to have heard of a Quan Chi, have you?”

“Sorry. Doesn’t ring a bell,” the keeper replied as the fisherman shook his head.

_Most interesting_.

“What of Shang Tsung?”

The keeper shrugged, but the fisherman said, “I heard of Shang Tsung. He’s an Earthrealm myth.”

“Is that so?” Tsung asked, now intrigued. “Tell me about him.”

“They say he was a demon that played at being a man,” he said. “Could’ve been one of Earthrealm’s greatest warriors and Champion of Mortal Kombat, but they say he offended the gods. So the gods cursed him. They say he roams here and there, stealing souls and making slaves of his victims.”

“Is that what they say?”

“Just a spook story they tell kids to keep them from wandering in the woods at night, you know? Watch out for Shang Tsung lurking under a bridge, he might grab yeh.”

“An amusing story,” Tsung said, chuckling. “An Earthrealm fairy tale like their boogeyman and Santa Claus.”

He continued laughing, harder, to the point where his true voice came through his beggar disguise. The shop-keeper and fisherman forced smiles, but both looked uncomfortable.

“Say, old-timer,” the keeper said. “Where did you say you were from again?”

“Oh,” he said. “Let’s just say I’ve come out from under the bridge.”

With a snap of his finger, green flames shot from his hand and into the keeper’s chest like a cobra striking its prey. The man only managed a surprised grunt before his soul was drained from his body, leaving a withered husk to crumble on the floor like a marionette without its strings.

The fisherman looked on with his jaw hanging open. When he saw Tsung turn his attention to him, he bolted for the door only to be stopped in his tracks when his body was engulfed in the same green flame. A strained scream escaped his lips just before his soul joined the rest.

They were weak and unremarkable, but Tsung felt invigorated all the same. Returning to his proper form, he was pleased to see his youth had returned somewhat. Though streaked with gray, his hair darkened, and he was closer to his physical prime. A few more souls and he would be fully restored.

But more than that, he felt fate had paid him a kindness. Somehow, for whatever reason, he had been brought to a timeline where Shao Kahn never existed. Where Quan Chi was no one, and he himself was regarded as only a myth for children.

A world without Shao Kahn or Quan Chi was a world without rivals. Liu Kang, the fool, had apparently created a world that knew only peace without “evil” to trouble it.

_If this is a world without villains_ , he thought with a smirk. _Then it will please me to be the first_.

* * *

Sareena opened her eyes.

Her back felt sore, and her head ached. She was on the ground, looking at the overcast sky above, and realized she’d been dropped from something. Sitting up, she looked at the portal transporter on her wrist and wondered if something had gone wrong when she made the jump.

She was back on Earth but pretty sure this wasn’t where she was supposed to be. The coordinates on the transporter should’ve taken her to the Special Forces headquarters. Looking around, she saw rocky terrain covered with snow. She couldn’t be sure, but it seemed she’d landed closer to the Lin Kuei in Arctika.

She clicked on the radio she’d been given and said, “Come in. This is Sareena. Do you copy? Over.”

She rolled her eyes at the silly army lingo Sonya insisted she speak when she communicated on their “walkie-talkie.” She only played along because Kuai Liang asked her. Although she was always happy to help the Lin Kuei, the truth was she didn’t care for the Special Forces.

“Hello? This is Sareena. I’m back from the Netherealm, but your bockety portal thing put me in the wrong place.” A wintery breeze drifted by, but she barely noticed it. She always felt cold. “Oh. Uh, over.”

Nothing came from the radio but static. It figured, she thought. They gave her a barely functional portal transporter, why not a busted radio? She never heard anyone say it, nor would she ever accuse, but Sareena always suspected Kuai Liang’s colleagues in the Special Forces didn’t like having her around. Sonya especially.

She tried not to let it bother her. Kuai Liang trusted her, and that was enough.

“Okay, look,” she said. “I know you guys are already dealing with Liu Kang and Kitana, so aside from that, I haven’t heard much of anything. A few rumors, but nothing to be worried about, I don’t think. So, if that’s all, I’m going to …”

It was slight and brief. She barely heard it herself, but beneath the gentle wheeze of Arctika’s wind, there was the sound of rocks tumbling. But more than that, she sensed something in the air. She couldn’t say what, but something made the hairs on her arm stand and her stomach churn.

“… wait here until you get back to me. Over and out.”

She clicked the radio off and put it back in the pouch on her belt. Taking a breath, she unclipped the daggers strapped to her boots and prepared to draw. She hoped it was nothing—just her nerves on edge—but centuries in the Netherealm taught her better. Even on Earthrealm, there was always a threat.

She felt it coming before she even heard it. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a white shape move and ducked out of the way on reflex. Her attacker flipped elegantly in the air and landed on her feet with inhuman grace. Sareena drew her daggers and faced her opponent, ready for battle.

The woman looked like a priestess of some sort. She was clad all in white with gold trim and a large, circular hat that had a veil hanging from it. In her hand, she held a shining sword that curved like a serpent and seemed to be made of pure crystal. It hurt Sareena’s eyes to look at it.

“Who are you?” she demanded. “What do you want from me?”

The woman in white said nothing. She twirled her blade—it sounded almost musical cutting through the air—and charged. Her attacks were swift and continuous. She almost glided through the air, her shining white appearance making her seem ethereal and otherworldly.

Sareena dodged and blocked but was hesitant to counter. She didn’t know who this woman was, much less why she was attacking her. Although her instinct demanded she fight to kill, she feared her opponent might be known to Kuai Liang or his allies and this might be a test or misunderstanding.

She ducked under a swing of the woman’s blade and flipped away to create some distance. “I don’t know who you are,” she said. “I have no quarrel with you!”

The woman didn’t acknowledge her, only pressing her assault with more swings of the sword. Sareena ducked another slash only to get hit with a kick to her stomach. She doubled over and took another blow to her face that sent her tumbling to the ground.

She had only a moment to regain her senses before seeing the woman dive at her, intent to split her in two. She blocked the attack with her daggers—the sword mere inches from her face.

“I’m a friend of Sub-Zero!” she said, struggling to hold the woman back. “I work with the Earthrealm Special Forces! I am not an enemy!”

The woman’s face was cold and stern—her eyes like ice. “You are unnatural,” she said. “And that alone makes you an enemy.”

With a roar, Sareena flipped the woman off her and kipped up to her feet. _To hell with this_ , she thought, sheathing her daggers and drawing her Demon Fang sword.

“Have it your way. You want a fight, you got one.”

They exchanged numerous passes and clashed swords. Attacks were parried and countered, but neither could gain an advantage. The woman in white’s fighting style was almost dance-like, but when she struck, she hit hard. Oddly, although she didn’t know the woman, Sareena thought there was something familiar in the way she fought.

Sareena swept at her feet, knowing she’d avoid it but that she’d back off. With some distance created, she threw a dagger at her face. The woman in white deflected the knife with a swing of her sword but left herself open to Sareena’s Five-Star Kick.

She pressed the advantage, hoping to at least disarm her, but the woman evaded her. Seeing she was still dazed, Sareena kept up the assault and tried to force her into a corner. But the woman regained her senses enough to duck beneath an attack—losing some of her veil in the process—and caught Sareena’s arm with a slash of her sword.

Sareena screamed as unexpected pain tore up and down her arm like a lightning bolt. The cut wasn’t even that deep, but for some reason it hurt more than anything she’d ever experienced. She clutched her wound and moaned, as it felt like acid burned into her flesh.

The woman in white, seeing her advantage, came at her again with more swings and chops of her blade. Sareena could barely block the attacks, and worse, she was losing feeling in her injured arm.

In desperation, she allowed the woman to knock Demon Fang from her hand and charged her Gut Buster attack. The woman realized what was coming too late as Sareena thrust forward and plowed into her stomach with enough force to crack stone.

The woman in white let out a grunt as she was thrown back at least five feet and sent tumbling along the ground. She managed to hold onto her sword, but when she tried to stand, she collapsed back down, holding her midsection.

Wasting no time, Sareena retrieved Demon Fang and charged, intent on finishing this once and for all. Her opponent realized what was coming and thrust her hand out, creating a blinding flash of white light. She stalled long enough for the woman to take her sword and escape.

Although tempted to give chase, Sareena sank to her knees and tried to catch her breath. “Yeah,” she muttered. “You better run.”

* * *

“Friends! Friends, come and lend me your ears!”

The people of Sun Do gathered around Shang Tsung looking dejected and fearful. Mothers held their children close, and men looked to one another, hoping someone would have the spine to stand and fight. But the crucified, soul-drained husks of those who already tried warned them to accept their new master.

“To honor your new Lord,” Tsung continued. “You shall commence a glorious new project. You, my faithful subjects, are going to build me a new palace. I am currently working out the details, but for now, I think it would be best if you all got to work on the foundation. You may start by clearing the woods east of here.”

The villagers were silent. It was the expectant hush of people waiting for some hero to emerge and come to their defense. But no such hero came.

“Well? On your way.”

The people of Sun Do meekly accepted their orders and began filing out of the village. Tsung, restored to the prime of his youth, felt great satisfaction. An Outworld without tyrants like Shao Kahn to terrorize it had left its people soft and easily conquered. He alone had subjugated this village in less than a day!

He took a moment to admire the new clothes he ordered one of the village women to make for him. His new overcoat was red as blood and designed with a golden serpentine dragon. The fabric wasn’t much to speak of, but considering it was put together by a lowly commoner, he thought it did him justice.

He was on his way to the local tavern to sample their wine selection, when a shrill young voice shouted, “Who do you think you are?!”

The girl approaching him couldn’t have been older than sixteen. She wore simple clothes of purple and pink, and though young, she was a pretty thing that would surely grow into a beautiful woman in time—assuming she didn’t get herself killed.

“You think you can just come into our home and make slaves of us?!”

“I don’t think, my dear,” he said. “I believe I already have.”

“You won’t get away with this! Someone will stop you!”

He chuckled. Her impetuousness was amusing, but to her credit, she showed more courage than anyone else in her village.

“Li Mei, stop it!” an older woman shouted, running up behind her. “Forgive her, my lord. She doesn’t know her place.”

“Mother!” Li Mei said. “We can’t let him get away with this! We have to do something!”

There was fire in her voice that intrigued him. Yes, he sensed her soul—vibrant and full of energy. A courageous heart with no fear. He rarely thought of consuming souls as eating, but the girl would’ve made a fine feast.

“You have spirit, child,” he said. “But I would mind your mother if I were you.”

“I’m not afraid of you, snake!”

“I know,” he said as green flames formed around his hands. “That’s what makes you so tempting …”

She turned pale. There was fear, but she stood her ground. She would sooner face death than enslavement. Admirable, he thought. But foolish.

“I see you’ve wasssted no time, sorcerer.”

Tsung turned to find a cloaked figure standing a few yards off. Li Mei’s mother dragged her off, leaving him to face this new challenger.

“And who are you, friend?” he asked. “Come to liberate the good people of Sun Do?”

“Not necessssarily. Clean up would be more accurate.”

The voice was strange, but familiar. There was a lisp that Tsung recognized but wouldn’t believe he, of all people, had come. But his opponent threw his cloak off and revealed a ninja clad in green and black. His flesh, though scaled, was pale with a yellow-green tint, and his snake-like eyes were focused and determined.

“Reptile,” Tsung said. “I’m surprised to find you here. And looking so humanoid. I guess our new Fire God showed you favor.”

“I know of no Fire God. I serve a new massster, and he would not have you polluting his new world.”

“You’re quite articulate now. Has your new master taught you how to speak?”

A smirk came to Reptile’s face. There was confidence and intelligence in his eyes Tsung had never seen before. He found it insulting.

“You are a thing of the passst, Shang Tsung. You have no place in thisss new world.”

“Is that so? And you think you’ll be the one to rid it of me?”

“Who sssaid I came alone?”

In the corner of this eye, Tsung saw green sparks form on the ground beside him. He hadn’t a moment to realize what they were when the blow struck his chin. He steadied himself to see a cyborg ninja distinguished by red coloring. Its eyes lit up as it took a fighting stance, and an indecipherable robotic noise emerged from it.

“Is that …?” he said. “Sektor? You come at me with one of the Lin Kuei’s toys, Reptile?”

In a flash, Sektor attacked with a flurry of punches and kicks. Although he dismissed the creature as a toy, Tsung quickly found he would be a fool to underestimate it. He struck Sektor with an elbow to its head and flipped it over his side only to be blindsided by Reptile.

As ever, the Zaterran’s attacks were fast and slippery. But even at his best, Reptile was never a true match for Shang Tsung. He caught an attempted punch and meant to respond in kind, when Sektor hit a running knee into his side. Reptile followed with an uppercut to his midsection.

Angered, Tsung kicked the cyborg away and grabbed Reptile’s face. He received a jab to the throat for this effort, and Reptile followed this by hurling him over his shoulder and sending him crashing into the dirt.

Sektor was on top of him before he could even react, trying to stomp his ribcage to splinters. Tsung rolled away and managed to return to his feet. Roaring, he shot an explosive fireball into Sektor’s chest that knocked it back. Before the smoke cleared, Reptile hit with a dropkick and Tsung was on his back again.

Clutching his chest and gasping for air, Tsung glared at his opponents with bloodshot eyes and a vein in his temple bulging. “You dare do this to me?!” he snarled. “You dare strike Shang Tsung?! You will pay for this insult, you wretch!”

“That name has no meaning anymore,” Reptile said, as Sektor stood up behind him. “Thisss is a new age. One where the worthy shall get what they dessserve.”

“Oh, you’ll get what you deserve,” he said, his eye twitching. “I’ll see to that, Reptile. I promise you will suffer for this insult.”

“I told you: I didn’t come alone.”

As Tsung got to his feet again, a blinding pain suddenly struck. As if time temporarily froze, he was able to look at his arm as it inexplicably bent at an unnatural forty-five-degree angle with a sickening crunch.

His broken arm went limp at his side, and he continued staring at it as if it wasn’t real. The invisible Zaterran that hit him took shape, revealing a female clad in gray and black clothing he recalled was named Khameleon. As she walked to Reptile, numerous other Zaterrans appeared all around them.

“This …” Tsung said, backing away. “This isn’t possible. You … you people are extinct!”

“Unlike Shao Kahn,” Reptile said. “Our new massster keeps his promises. Zaterra is ressstored. We are whole.”

“And you are nothing, Shang Tsung,” said Khameleon. “Nothing but a bad memory to be put to ressst.”

Too stunned by what he was witnessing, Tsung didn’t even see Sektor readying a missile until too late. The blast hit him in the chest and sent him tumbling violently in the dirt again. He writhed on the ground, the wind knocked out of him, and tried to make sense of this. It couldn’t be happening. He hadn’t survived Liu Kang to end like this.

Sektor stood over him. In desperation, he tried to take the cyborg’s soul, only to find it had none to steal. Sektor tilted its head in seeming curiosity and placed its foot on his shattered arm. Shang Tsung bellowed in agony as it ground its heel into his broken bones.

“You’re getting off easy, sorcerer. You dessserve much worse, but our master just wantsss you gone.”

While Reptile spoke, Sektor typed at something mounted on his wrist. When it finished, an ominous beeping started.

“Do the noble thing for once in your wasssted life, Shang Tsung,” Khameleon said as the Zaterrans each disappeared into invisibility. “Just die.”

With that, she and Reptile disappeared, too, leaving Tsung pinned beneath the cyborg’s foot. As the beeping got faster and louder, Sektor looked down at him and said in a monotone, robotic voice: “There is no place for us anymore. Our time is over.”

Shang Tsung only saw a bright flash as Sektor’s self-destruct countdown finished.

* * *

Sareena’s arm still hurt by the time she reached the Lin Kuei temple. It wasn’t bleeding, but it hadn’t stopped burning since it happened. The wound looked ugly—turning a sickly shade of red and purple—and she worried if the woman’s blade had been poisoned.

She approached the entrance, holding her arm, and guessed she would have one of the Lin Kuei’s healers look at it. The temple looked ominous as ever, silent and blanketed in snow. She suspected the Lin Kuei, though unseen, already saw her approach and paid no mind. Despite what she was, she had their master’s trust.

Just as she reached the temple door, a cloud of mist formed. In it, a figure appeared along with a voice: “Who goes there?”

“It’s me. Sareena.” She revealed the metallic medallion Kuai Liang had given her that helped her find the temple’s location and allowed her entrance. “I’m back.”

The smoke cleared, revealing a Lin Kuei with silver hair, wearing gray and black. She didn’t recognize him, but he seemed familiar. “State your business,” he said with a cold look.

She hesitated. “I … have no business,” she said. “I just got back from the Netherealm. Nothing of note to report, so I just … I’m back. I thought I was welcome here?”

His eyes narrowed. “The medallion,” he said. “Show it to me.”

She handed it over, but felt her arm sting. “I should talk to Kuai Liang,” she said. “I was attacked earlier. I don’t know who she was, but she seemed to be some kind of priestess. If she’s an enemy of the clan, he should be warned.”

Without taking his eyes off her, he pounded on the entrance with his fist. The doors creaked open and a young blue-haired woman wearing a Lin Kuei uniform emerged.

“Frost?” Sareena said. “What are you doing here?”

Frost eyes her suspiciously but didn’t respond. She turned to her gray comrade and asked, “Smoke?”

Sareena hesitated again. Smoke … as in Kuai Liang’s friend? She thought he was dead—a revenant of the Netherealm like Liu Kang and Kitana.

“Come inside,” he said. “Leave your weapons.”

She looked from Smoke to Frost and Smoke again. She didn’t know why, but an uneasy feeling came to her. She was a friend to the Lin Kuei and its Grandmaster. She shouldn’t fear disarming herself, but for some reason she sensed danger.

Though reluctant, she gave up her Demon Fang, daggers, and even the portal transporter and followed Smoke and Frost inside. Entering the great hall, all seemed as it should. Some members of the clan stood guard, as they often did. She heard the faint echo of new recruits training in some other part of the temple. Everything seemed normal.

Smoke and Frost’s presence were a mystery though. Even if Smoke was revived, the last she heard, Frost betrayed the clan and might have gotten involved with cyborgs. Was that all a ruse? How much had happened while she was in the Netherealm?

Grandmaster Sub-Zero sat at the end of the great hall. Seeing him brought some relief. Whatever dread Smoke and Frost’s presence gave her, at least Kuai Liang was there. He looked distinguished and regal compared to the regular Lin Kuei fighters, as befitting their Grandmaster.

She bowed before him and smiled. He didn’t react, but he was never open or expressive with his emotions or thoughts.

“What is your business here?”

Sareena frowned, and the dread she felt rippled through her blood like a tremor. “I … Sub-Zero, it’s me.”

“Answer the question,” Frost demanded.

“She admitted she came from the Netherealm,” Smoke said. “She had these on her.”

Sub-Zero accepted the medallion and transporter from him and inspected them. He frowned and asked her, “How did you get these?”

“Y-you gave it to me,” she said. “Kuai Liang … I don’t …”

“How do you know that name?”

Sareena’s stomach churned. She looked over her shoulder and saw more Lin Kuei were surrounding her. “I don’t,” she said. “I don’t understand what’s going on. You said … I’m not …”

She trailed off upon seeing the other blue Lin Kuei behind Sub-Zero. It was a face she barely remembered—known all too briefly—but recognized all the same. It wasn’t possible. He couldn’t be here.

“Bi-Han?”

“It’s as I warned you.”

Her dread turned into outright fear when she saw the woman in white alongside Bi-Han.

“This demon is a deceiver,” the woman said. “It would infiltrate your clan and bring doom to you and your people.”

Smoke and Frost grabbed her. They held her arms behind her back and forced her to her knees. Her instinct was to fight back and escape, but she was too blindsided. What was happening? Why didn’t Kuai Liang recognize her? How was Bi-Han alive?

“I don’t understand,” she said. “Somebody … somebody please tell me what’s going on …”

“Kill the beast, brother,” Bi-Han said. “Demons are not to be trifled with.”

She felt ill. None of it made sense. It was like a nightmare. She almost expected see Quan Chi in the shadows laughing at her.

“Lady Ashrah,” Sub-Zero said. “She acts as if she knows me. If she meant to infiltrate us, why would she act so openly?”

“I do know you! You granted me sanctuary! Don’t you remember?”

“Don’t listen,” Ashrah said. “It is the demon’s way. It’ll cloud your mind with its wiles and make you believe its lies. With your permission, I will fulfill my task and slay this abomination right now.”

Panic came to Sareena as Ashrah drew her strange sword. She struggled to break free of Smoke and Frost but couldn’t move. The demon in her raged, desperate to break out and fight, but as frightened and confused as she was, she didn’t want to harm the Lin Kuei.

“Kuai Liang!” she screamed. “It’s me! Sareena! I’m Sareena! You know me! You trust me! Please, don’t do this!”

Ashrah raised her sword, intent on beheading her. Her heart pounded and terror gripped her. _Not like this_ , she thought. _Please, not like this!_

“Ashrah, wait,” Sub-Zero said, standing up. “This transporter … it’s from the Special Forces. How could she have this and the Lin Kuei medallion?” He looked at Sareena, and a haunted look came to his eyes, as if some part of him did recognize her. “We should keep her alive. I need answers.”

“That’s how this creature works, Grandmaster,” Ashrah said. “The longer it stays here, the greater hold it will take on your mind.”

“I don’t—”

She raised the sword to strike. “You’ll thank me after.”

Sareena roared. Her human voice became guttural and monstrous as she threw Smoke and Frost off her with all her demonic strength. Frenzy replaced her panic, and she snatched Ashrah by her throat and hurled her into Bi-Han, who was charging an ice blast to freeze her.

She snarled at the other Lin Kuei warriors but stopped in her tracks when she found herself facing Sub-Zero. Even in the midst of her demon rage, she couldn’t bring herself to hurt him.

Sub-Zero stared at her a moment, the haunted look in his eyes still there. Before the rest of his clan could rush to his defense, he put the medallion and portal transporter in her hands. “Sareena, go,” he said. “Run.”

She had no time to respond. Smoke placed himself in front of Kuai Liang to shield him. Frost shot an ice blast of her own. Sareena ducked and sought her escape. She was stalled when a terrible burning pain came to her back, as Ashrah had retrieved her sword and slashed her across her shoulders.

That might have been the end of her, but Ashrah delayed when the floor beneath her feet turned to ice. Kuai Liang might have done it, Sareena didn’t have time to look, but she used the opening to leap over the charging Lin Kuei.

The exit was already blocked by guards, so she instead jumped through the window. The temple overlooked a large canyon that went down hundreds of feet. Sareena slid down the cliff’s side and stopped herself by plunging her claws into the icy wall.

Shouting echoed from above, and she knew she didn’t have much time. The transporter was recharged, so she activated it without thinking of the coordinates. When a portal opened, she dove in with a bright flash.

* * *

With the fighting over, the people of Sun Do returned to their village. No one was sure what had happened, but it seemed the important thing was Shang Tsung was no more.

The explosion caused by Sektor left some charred rubble that was still smoldering when the villagers came back. Most stayed away, but a few of the more curious and courageous inspected the remains to ensure the sorcerer was gone for good.

“Yes,” said one of the villagers, kicking around some burnt stones. “It’s safe now. He’s gone.”

As if in response, green flames shot out from beneath the rubble. The man’s body arched like he’d been bitten by a snake and howled as his soul was slowly drained from his body. The remaining villagers screamed and all fled—some into their homes, others from the village entirely.

The fresh soul did little to rejuvenate or heal Shang Tsung, but it was a start. He dug himself from his smoking grave, burnt and filthy. He had managed to use his magic to shield against the worst of Sektor’s blast at the last second, but the price was steep. His youth was gone, and his arm still broken, but he lived.

Unable to stand, he clawed his way across the ground—the only thing matching his pain was his fury. He didn’t know how the Zaterran race was resorted, but he didn’t care either. Reptile, Khameleon … all of them would pay. He would make slaves of them, just as Shao Kahn had when he first conquered them centuries ago.

He would find Reptile’s new master, whoever that was, and make him pay, too. And Liu Kang … he hadn’t forgotten Liu Kang, who no doubt was laughing at him even now.

After managing to crawl a few yards, he stopped when he found someone standing over him. He sensed great power coming from the figure above, and through his blurred vision, realized it was a ninja clad in red and black with eerie green aura emanating all around him.

“Shang Tsung,” said a voice that sounded like dozens speaking at once. “You have seen better days.”

He looked up at Ermac, feeling the last of his strength wane. “Have you … come to kill me, too?”

“No, sorcerer. Unfortunately … we may need you.”

**End of Chapter II**


	3. Cracks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kitana tries to know her family, and Scorpion receives a strange visitor.

There was beauty in Outworld. Although the realm was notorious for its more macabre landscapes, Kitana knew of places and locations where loveliness thrived—usually far away from Shao Kahn’s seat of power. There were gardens and fields and waterfalls. Majestic mountains and great rivers.

She thought of those places as she wandered the garden outside the palace. The flowers around her were a dazzling display of color that was almost overwhelming. The fauna was lush and healthy. Bright pink cherry blossom trees were in full bloom. In her millennia living in Outworld, she never knew so much color could exist in nature.

Edenia was everything she could’ve hoped for. When she looked out her balcony, she longed to see the city beyond the palace wall. She wanted to meet its people—her people—and walk among them. She wanted to experience the ocean and travel to the farthest reaches of her homeland.

But in the days since the ball, she didn’t dare stray far the palace. As beautiful as everything seemed, she couldn’t shake the certainty there was something artificial about it all. As much as she wished to accept this perfect life she seemed to have, she feared the moment she did—the second she let her guard down—the trap would be sprung or, at the least, she would finally wake up.

It was a nameless dread that haunted her every step even though the only tangible thing to cause concern was the increase of Seidan Guards around the palace. She hadn’t learned the details, but apparently the diplomatic talks went well. Seido and Edenia were developing an alliance, and as a token of good faith, the Orderrealm sent some of its elite guards to act on her father’s behalf.

She knew of the Seidan Guard. They were said to be zealots fanatically devoted to their belief in order. Or that was how she remembered them anyway. Maybe that was more of the fever dream from her coma? Thus far, the Seidans hadn’t done anything except stand around and make sure everything was tidy. If Edenia was at peace, how much of a danger could they be?

Everything seemed perfect. Her father seemed like the good man she always hoped he would be. Her mother seemed to be the noble woman she believed she was. Jade was happy. Visitors to the palace were content and pleasant. There was peace between the realms, and she was engaged to wed Liu Kang in a few short months.

Even Mileena …

The ground began to shake. It wasn’t a violent rumble but a slight tremor that felt like standing on a wobbly table. The trees swayed, and she heard the palace groan from the vibration. Birds squawked and scattered to the air.

As suddenly as it came, the shaking stopped and Kitana was left standing in the garden perplexed and surprised. She didn’t even have time to think this was the moment her perfect dream life would end. Once it passed, all that remained was an eerie silence as the wind drifted through the trees and stillness returned to the land.

“That was odd.”

She went back to the palace, and her thoughts returned to Mileena. As uncomfortable as she felt around her mother … as convinced as she was something rotten was hiding beneath the surface … it was probably Mileena’s presence that seemed the most wrong.

In the few days since she awoke, her sister had been nothing if not friendly, energetic, and loving. It was a jarring switch from the hateful, demented clone she’d known her as for so long. It felt uncanny, as if Mileena was possessed or acting out a role.

There were times Kitana caught a lost, haunted look in her sister’s eyes. Once or twice, she’d seen her wandering the halls like she didn’t know how she got there or was expecting to find something. During supper the previous night, she seemed to drift away a few moments, as if dreaming while awake.

In the past—or the dream, or in the real world … she wasn’t sure what to call it—they shared a bond. As much as they hated one another, their souls were linked. Did that hold true now? Was Mileena sharing her intangible dread? While Kitana was in her coma, did she sense the terrible visions she had?

_Or I’m being paranoid_ , she thought. _Maybe she’s just flighty and prone to day-dreaming?_

Jade was usually the one she turned to in times of doubt, but she’d been occupied with Kotal and other matters. Maybe it was worth getting to know her sister finally? If this was real, and everything Kitana knew and feared was just a fever dream, who better to go to than her twin sister?

When she reached Mileena’s chamber, however, she found only Seidan Guards posted in front of the shut door. As she approached, one of them stood in her path.

“State your name and business,” he said.

“I’m Kitana, and I wish to speak with my sister.”

“I’m afraid I cannot allow that.”

“What do you mean you can’t allow that? Let me talk to Mileena.”

The guardsman was stoic, like a plank of wood. He showed no sign of moving and said, with a stiff, monotone voice, “Princess Mileena is not to have any visitors. Please leave.”

“Excuse me? Who do you—?”

“Princess Kitana.” Another Seidan approached. He had long, white hair with a stern face and towered over his fellow guardsmen. “I am Hotaru, Lord Commander of the Seidan Guard. What is the trouble?”

Unintimidated by his height, she replied, “I wish to speak with my sister. By apparently I am forbidden?”

“Yes,” said Hotaru. “I’m afraid your sister violated curfew last night. She has been confined to her chamber as punishment. You needn’t fear. She will be freed in due time.”

“Curfew?” she repeated with a sneer. “Confined to her chamber? On who’s authority do you lock a Princess of Edenia in her room like a child?”

“The King’s, of course. We would never presume to take such action without his approval. If you have an issue with our doing our duty, perhaps you should take it up with your father.”

* * *

Takeda’s bladed whip cracked, and the training log burst into splinters. He pulled and twisted, and the second and third logs did the same. Finally, he thrust he arms out and twin whips plunged into the final log. When he pulled, the wood tore in half. As they snapped back, the boy looked to his master for approval.

Scorpion was indeed impressed. Though young, Takeda showed great skill and discipline. With time and refinement, the son of Kenshi Takahashi would be a formidable Shirai Ryu.

“Are you well, Grandmaster?” he asked. “You seem distracted.”

“I am,” he replied. “Forgive me, Takeda. I suppose I’m still out of sorts from my illness.”

With each passing day, Scorpion’s memory grew cloudier. His death, resurrection as a spectre, and years hunting those who wronged him—once so sharp and stark—faded more and more. As he slowly accepted his surroundings and basked in the comfort of his family, the pain and fury seemed as but a passing dream.

In their place, his real memories came back. Yes, the Shirai Ryu and Lin Kuei had been at peace for decades. Hanzo Hasashi earned the right to become Grandmaster when the old one, his mentor, died childless. Kenshi—who was not blind after all—entrusted his son to the clan’s care, and Scorpion took it upon himself to train the boy personally.

And there was no Quan Chi. He didn’t exist.

“Lady Harumi mentioned you were plagued by terrible visions,” Takeda said. “Do they still haunt you?”

“Just the feeling now,” he said. “It’s so strange … to experience a lifetime in your own mind only to find it was moments to everyone else. It feels like walking on unsteady ground.”

“I’ve had dreams like that. But they go away quick enough when you stop dwelling on them.”

He nodded and patted the boy on the shoulder. It was difficult to just let go of the rage that had driven him. To simply accept that Quan Chi—the man responsible for so much pain—was nothing more than a bad dream. Some deep part of him still feared there was a catch or threat yet unseen.

But perhaps Takeda was right? The late afternoon sun gave the woods a subtle golden glow. The warm breeze was fresh, and his wife and son were waiting for him back home. He was Grandmaster of the Shirai Ryu and respected by his allies. Life was good, and maybe it was time to allow Scorpion a rest and be Hanzo Hasashi once again.

He was about to suggest they return to the house, when the ground began to quake. The trees swayed and crows scattered to the skies. Instinctively, he reached for his kunai and prepared for attack. But after a few moments, the rumbling stopped and the world was still again.

He looked to Takeda, who seemed equally surprised. “Must’ve been an earthquake, Grandmaster.”

About to sheathe his weapon, he scanned the woods. Indeed, it likely was just an earthquake and not even a strong one at that. But it gave something away.

“We’re done for the day, Takeda. I’ll speak with you tomorrow.”

The boy bowed and bid farewell. When he was out of sight, Scorpion gathered his things and made like he would return to the house. He moved slowly and deliberately, his body tense and ready to react, but nothing happened. But however muddy his memories were, his instincts and senses were sharp as ever.

He threw his spear into the woods. The kunai plunged into a thick tree, sending splinters of bark flying. He held the rope tight in his hand and kept a second kunai ready to throw in his other.

“That wasn’t an accident,” he said. “And neither will the next one which _will_ hit you.”

After a brief pause, the woman emerged from the brush just beneath where he threw the spear. She was dressed in leather with red trim, and her face was marked with black tattoos by her eyes that resembled hooks or sickles. A white streak contrasted her black hair, and she appeared with her hands up.

“Scorpion,” she said. “My name is Sareena. I need your help.”

* * *

“Are you aware Mileena has been locked in her room by the Seidan Guard?”

Kitana found her father in his study, surrounded by books and maps and parchments. In the corner was a large globe of Edenia, and she hesitated upon seeing it—having never seen her homeland mapped out like that before. Jerrod sat at his desk, reading a book with the Mortal Kombat symbol embossed on the cover and drinking wine.

He blinked at her, surprised by her tone. “Hello to you, too, ‘Tana,” he said. “And here I thought you’d be concerned about the earthquake.”

“The Seidans have confined Mileena to her chamber and aren’t allowing anyone to see her.”

“Yes, I know. Commander Hotaru informed me she violated curfew last night. I’m sure she simply forgot, but then … you know Mileena.”

“So you’re okay with the Seidans arresting your own daughter? And since when do we even have a curfew? You’re going to allow them to just—”

“Slow down,” he said, standing up. “Mileena isn’t under arrest. She’ll stay in her room for a day or two, nothing more.”

“But what about this curfew? And what other laws are the Seidans going to be enforcing?”

“As you know, we’re engaging with the Orderrealm in diplomacy. And as part of that, we’ve agreed to enact some new policies based on their suggestions. It’s nothing severe, nothing is written in stone. We’re not being forced into anything, and the Seidans understand many of these new laws won’t be permanent.”

Kitana bit her lip and shifted her weight. It sounded reasonable enough. Even innocent. But the idea of allowing the enforcers of the Orderrealm to hold any sway made her skin crawl. She remembered the stories she’d heard about Seidan Guards and the punishments they administered for even the most minor infractions.

Jerrod saw her discomfort. He walked to her and rubbed her arms. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize this would upset you so.”

His touch was gentle, but firm. His voice, warm and soothing. Is this what having a real father was like?

“I just,” she said. “I don’t trust Seido.”

“Why not?”

“They’re zealots. Fanatics. They worship strict, sterile order like a religion.”

“How do you know this?”

“I just do.”

A kind, but weary smile came to his face. Placing his arm around her shoulder, he said, “Walk with me, Kitana.”

They left his study and made their way to the throne room. Lining the walls were murals of past Kings and Queens of Edenia. Great men and women of power and beauty. Looking at them, she was struck by the history of it all. These were her ancestors—a legacy she’d never known but spent part of her life fighting for. Or thought she did.

“You’re still troubled by your visions,” Jerrod said. “You don’t trust anything you see.”

“I’m sorry,” she said. “It was all so real. It’s all I remember.”

“I understand. I do. Someday, when it is your time to rule, you’ll see danger everywhere. You’ll question and second-guess everything … even in times of peace. I wish I could say you wouldn’t, but it comes with the pressure of ruling. I’ve had plenty of terrible visions in my time.”

“You have?”

“Indeed, I have. One in particular I will never forget. It was so vivid. I once dreamt a terrible evil emerged from Outworld to take our home. It cast me aside, and I was helpless to stop it from claiming you and your mother.”

He stopped and stared into the distance, as if he was having the vision right there.

“It was such an awful feeling. To only watch and be unable to do anything while you and Sindel were …”

A chill went through Kitana’s blood, like someone walked over her grave.

“It was just a dream,” he said. “But it definitely left its mark on me. We may be at peace, but I know there’s always the possibility such an evil could appear. So please indulge me, daughter, if I think it’s worth sampling Seidan ways. Maybe their beliefs in order will make our defenses all the stronger?”

They reached the throne room, which was a great hall with a domed ceiling and stone columns. The throne was a grand seat of gold, lined with rubies and jade emeralds. Beside it was another chair, for the Queen, and at either side were seats for the Princesses.

She’d dreamed of seeing the Edenian throne in its glory—before Shao Kahn. She always knew, even if she succeeded in overthrowing him and restoring her home realm, she could only create an approximation of it.

“Father, I … I understand feeling protective of our home. Believe me, I really do. But … Seido? We have the strength to resist any threats on our own. Our Earthrealm allies will stand by us. We don’t need those fanatics.”

He chuckled as they passed the throne on their way to the balcony overlooking the sea. “You’re so like your mother, you know that?”

She said nothing.

“You are,” he said. “You have her beauty. You have her wits. And you have her heart.”

She didn’t want to argue, but she shivered at the idea. The memory of that terrible day on the Sea of Blood still too fresh.

“But …” He placed his hand on her cheek and smiled. “That hard head of yours? You got that from me.”

She laughed, and the warmth that came with it was a relief she hadn’t felt since seeing Liu at the ball.

“I would tell you to let go of your visions or dreams or … whatever it is you saw. I would have you be at peace and accept what you have in front of you. But if you weren’t a stubborn, tenacious … pain in the ass, you wouldn’t be Kitana, would you?”

He held her by the shoulders and looked at her with such pride.

“You see something broken,” he said. “And you have to fix it. You see something wrong, you have to make it right. That’s always been you, ‘Tana. That’s who you are …”

He trailed off and had the same lost, haunted look in his eyes as Mileena. He gave a slight squeeze as if making sure she was really there in front of him. He looked at her like it was the first time he’d ever seen her.

“… my girl … this is who you’ve become.”

The moment passed. He shook his head and cleared his throat.

“Now listen,” he said. “If you really want something to fix, try talking to your mother. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you’ve been avoiding her.” Upon seeing the frown that provoked, he continued, “Kitana, I understand the coma and your memories have left you on edge, but it’s cruel what you’re doing to her.”

She grumbled and shifted her weight. “Father … I …”

“Let me worry about the Seidan Guard. Talk to your mother.”

* * *

Scorpion kept his hand at his kunai as the strange woman came forward. She was pale and sweating—appeared to be wounded—but it was the symbol of the Brotherhood of the Shadow tattooed on her arms that drew his attention.

“Y-you don’t know me,” she said. “At least I don’t think you do. I’m a friend of Sub-Zero.”

He remained still, ready to throw. “What do you want?”

“I think he’s in danger. He … I’m not sure how to explain it.”

“Why come to me?”

“I didn’t know where else to go. The Lin Kuei, they … someone’s turned them against me. I’m afraid to go to the Special Forces, and the White Lotus don’t know me. Kuai Liang respects you and …” She shrugged. “We both hate Quan Chi. I figured that has to count for something.”

Mention of that name stopped him cold. It wasn’t possible. He’d finally begun to put that behind him. Quan Chi was just his dream, wasn’t he? No one should even know his name. “What did you just say?”

“What?”

“There is no Quan Chi,” he said, the old anger taking hold. “Quan Chi doesn’t exist.”

Sareena looked lost. She paled, and despair came to her eyes. “No, no … not you, too,” she said. “You have to remember. You, of all people! He-he’s the reason Bi-Han killed you! He murdered your wife and—”

He snatched her by the neck and snuffed her into the ground. She struggled as he pinned her down and held the kunai to her face.

“You watch your tongue! Harumi and Satoshi are alive!”

“Please!” she said. “I’m not your enemy! I’m just trying to understand what’s going on! For all we know, Quan Chi is—”

He squeezed her throat tighter and pressed her into the ground again. “ _There is no Quan Chi_!”

“ _Then explain why I have the Brotherhood’s symbol branded onto me_!”

“You will not take my family from me!”

She roared. It was an inhuman sound, like metal grinding against stone. Her eyes turned red, and she shoved him off with shocking strength. Scorpion braced himself for her to press the attack, but Sareena simply stood her ground.

“I’m not here to fight you, and I’m not here for your family!” Her breathing strained, and a pained look came upon her, causing her to sink to one knee. “Please. I’m hurt. Something has … something is wrong, and I don’t know what to do.”

Although he kept the kunai in his hand, Scorpion eased his posture. “Who are you?”

“I’m a …” She hesitated. “I was a servant of Quan Chi and member of the Brotherhood of the Shadow. But I betrayed him and abandoned the clan. When I found a way to escape the Netherealm, Sub-Zero granted me sanctuary with the Lin Kuei. I’m not … I’m not a member, but I help them when I can.”

It was familiar. He never knew of Sareena, but he recalled Quan Chi often had female assassins who did his bidding. But that was all in his dream! How could this woman know?

“I just returned from reconnaissance,” she continued. “But when I went back to the Lin Kuei, no one recognized me. They thought I was trying to infiltrate them and attacked me. And … and Bi-Han is alive somehow.”

Mention of Bi-Han brought a chill to his blood. Bringing up Quan Chi was one thing, but no one should know what Bi-Han meant to him. “Why wouldn’t he be alive?” he asked, despite knowing the answer.

“You killed him.”

He shut his eyes and rubbed his temples. This didn’t make sense. If it had all been some fever dream brought on by food poisoning, how could this woman he never met know so much about it?

It was a dream because he remembered the life he had now. He remembered training Takeda. He remembered becoming the new Grandmaster of the Shirai Ryu. It was maddening, and he felt as though his head would split in two.

“There was this woman,” she said. “She calls herself Ashrah. She dresses in white and seems to be a priestess. I don’t know how, but I think she’s involved. She convinced the Lin Kuei that I was a threat. She—”

She shuddered and crumbled to the ground. Scorpion checked on her and at last saw the wound on her back. She was cut from shoulder to shoulder, and though she wasn’t bleeding, it was a sickly shade of purplish-red. Thin veins were visible, and it looked as though she was infected.

“How did this happen?”

“Ashrah,” she said. “She has a strange sword. I don’t know what it is, but … I’ve never felt anything like it. It burns.”

The wound was unlike anything he’d ever seen. It might’ve been poison, but he couldn’t guess what kind would cause this. She needed help.

And he needed answers.

“Come,” he said, helping her to her feet. “I’m taking you with me.”

* * *

There was another tremor before sunset. Kitana felt it as she stood on the great balcony watching the sun go down. Apparently, there was a small earthquake several miles to the south, which is what the initial rumbling was. Aftershocks lingered for the rest of the day, but she paid little mind. They grew briefer and less noticeable as they went on and didn’t diminish the beauty of the scene.

The sky turned a glorious shade of gold and red, and the horizon shimmered as day gave way to twilight. The breeze came up through the garden, bringing a fragrant aroma to the air. Faint music from the village below could be heard—some kind of festivities by the sound of it.

“There hasn’t been an earthquake around here in centuries.”

Sindel tried to act natural, but approached as one would an animal they hoped to catch and feared would flee. Her steps were slow and posture stiff, but there was tentative hope in her eyes.

Kitana sighed as her mother stood beside her at the balcony railing. Her impulse was to walk away. But she clenched her fist and let it come. If this was real, she needed to settle things with her mother or at least take the first step.

“Do you remember the quake that hit when you and Mileena were still children?” Sindel asked. “It was late, and it woke your father and me. Then you two came running in. Mileena thought it was the funniest thing, but you … I’ll never forget: you weren’t afraid, you were outraged. You demanded to know who was responsible and what we were going to do about it.” She smiled—warm, motherly, and trying so hard to be reassuring. “You’ve always been willful, Kitana. You always were—”

Kitana felt her hand on her shoulder and flinched. She didn’t mean to. She didn’t want to hate her mother, but being in her presence and hearing her voice, she could only think of what she did. She remembered her mother’s hand at her throat and the awful glee in her eyes as she squeezed. She remembered the relish in her mother’s voice as she described the anguish she wanted her to suffer.

An uncomfortable silence followed, and she hoped her mother would leave her. But Sindel said, “The healers prepared us for the worst. They warned us your memory might be lost … assuming you even woke up. They said you might be different. That you might not be the Kitana we knew.

“But nothing could’ve prepared me for this,” she continued, her voice trembling. “Nothing could’ve prepared me for my own daughter looking at me like I was a monster. That every time I went near her, she would act like I was going to hit her.”

Kitana said nothing. She kept her eyes shut and just wanted her mother to go away.

“Kitana, talk to me! What could you have seen to make you feel this way about me? Please, I want to understand.”

She held herself so tight, her fingernails dug into her arms. Where should she even begin? If it was all just a dream, what use was there in explaining Shao Kahn and his invasion of Edenia? Did she need to address her mother’s alleged suicide and the pain and confusion it caused before explaining how it was all a lie?

“You …” she began, taking a breath. “… hurt me. You … you _wanted_ to hurt me. You enjoyed it. I thought … I thought you were my mother … that you loved me and … you took everything I hoped for and … and you tore it down.”

When the tears started, she realized why she’d been avoiding it all along. Even after it was over at Kronika’s Keep—after she learned Shang Tsung killed them—she had put up a brave face, hoping if she didn’t dwell on it, it wouldn’t hurt as bad. Because she knew once she started, it would come pouring out like an open flood-gate.

“I don’t understand why,” she said, her voice cracking. “If … if you just wanted power, I … but you wanted to hurt me. You wanted me to suffer, and I don’t know what I did. Why … why did you even have me if you … why do you hate me so much?”

She broke down into uncontrollable sobbing. Sindel took hold of her and refused to be pushed away.

“No, no, Kitana … I could never hate you.” She held her daughter’s face and wiped the tears away. “I would never hurt you. _Never_. How could I? You’re my girl … my blood. It was a nightmare. A terrible nightmare. But it’s over now. You’re safe, I promise.”

She hugged her tight, and Kitana forced herself to hug back. She wanted to believe it was true. She wished it had all been a bad dream, and that this was her mother. That her father was the man she spoke to earlier, and that even Mileena was truly her sister.

She wanted it more than anything, and that frightened her most of all.

There was the sound of thunder, and the air chilled. She opened her eyes and suddenly they weren’t in Edenia anymore. Above them was the purple sky of Outworld, and the balcony overlooked the desolate Wastelands.

She looked at her mother, and her heart went into her throat. Sindel had changed before her eyes. The royal gown was gone, and it its place was the purple and black garb of a fighter. Dark make-up contrasted how ghostly pale she’d become, and a black streak marked her hair.

Her eyes were blank white and had an otherworldly glow, but Kitana saw such sadness in them. Despite her sinister appearance, Sindel looked full of sorrow. She held her daughter’s hands and said, “I abandoned you, Kitana. I’m sorry. So sorry.”

“Mother … I don’t …”

“Can you ever forgive me?”

Thunder rumbled, and suddenly they were on a ship in the middle of a vast ocean of blood. When Kitana looked, her mother changed again. She appeared to be her normal self—the black streak was gone, and her eyes were visible—but the mournful demeanor disappeared. In its place was a sadistic glint Kitana recognized all too well.

She tried to pull away, but her mother tightened her grip on her hands. Sindel grinned and said, “There you are.”

Like the crack of a whip, her hair snapped around Kitana’s neck. Kitana struggled as it squeezed her throat and pure terror grabbed her heart.

“My Kitana … you’ll never be free of me. I’ll always find you. You’ll always be _my_ Kitana …”

Pure panic hit in a way she’d never experienced. She screamed and thrashed and didn’t even realize she was on the floor with her mother trying to calm her down.

“Kitana! Kitana, it’s okay! You’re safe!”

She was back in Edenia on the palace balcony. The sun was setting, and the sky turned to maroon with the first stars shining. The smell of the garden was in the air, and Sindel was back to normal.

“You blacked out,” Sindel said. “You just … I don’t know. You blacked out and started screaming. Let me—”

“ _Don’t touch me_!” she shrieked, backing away. “Don’t touch me! Please, don’t … don’t come near me.”

Sindel stared at her. She looked wounded and heartbroken. Without saying another word, she shook her head and left Kitana alone on the balcony where she stayed for some time, shaking and trying not to throw up.

* * *

The fact Sareena openly admitted she was an assassin was not lost on Scorpion. And although she claimed to be a friend of Sub-Zero and ally of the Lin Kuei, there was always the likelihood she was deceiving him. He didn’t trust her, but he was still taking her to his home and wasn’t going to take a chance.

He took her to the outside shed beneath the outer patio. Not quite a basement, but it was beneath the house and facing the woods as opposed to the front gate. He wasn’t sure if he should expect intruders—she did say someone tried to kill her—but if someone was following her, she would be out of sight.

Using the rope off his kunai, he bound her wrists behind her back. To her credit, she didn’t argue or resist. “I know what I am,” she said, tonelessly.

“I’ll be back shortly.” He turned to go but stopped himself. “If you’re lying to me … if any harm comes to my family … do I need to tell you how far I’ll go to get my revenge?”

“I know who you are.”

He didn’t see Harumi or Satoshi when he went inside, which he felt was for the best. Even if Sareena was no threat, the last thing he wanted was either of them to get involved with whatever was happening.

He found bandages and looked for anything that could clean her wounds. He wasn’t sure how much good it would do, as he didn’t know what he was dealing with, but once she was patched up, he could try getting answers. He wasn’t sure how much he’d learn, given even Sareena didn’t seem to understand what was going on, but better than nothing.

_I could contact Kuai Liang_ , he thought. _He won’t know she came to me, and I could see for myself if something is wrong with him_.

As he turned to go back outside, terrible pain shot through his body. He clutched his neck and felt a strain on his back. It was enough to blur his vision and make him nearly fall to the floor. Next came the burning. It was as if the flesh of his face was on fire. He groaned and gnashed his teeth as the burning grew more and more intense.

He stumbled into the bathroom, not wanting Harumi to see him like this, and ran water over his head. It did nothing to ease his pain, which felt like someone grinding a knife into the base of his skull, and he was on the verge of screaming out in agony.

Thunder rumbled, and the room shook. When he looked up, he wasn’t in his home anymore but a desolate chamber somewhere in the Netherealm. A blasted sky slashed lighting out the window, and Scorpion realized his hands weren’t covered in water but blood. His clothes were ragged and filthy, and he looked as though he’d just been through a war.

Gazing on his reflection brought the worst horror. His face—the face of Hanzo Hasashi—was gone. In its place was a wretched, bare skull. He tried to scream, but only a guttural, inhuman noise emerged and blazing hellfire erupted.

“Hanzo! What’s wrong?!”

At once, he was back in his home with Harumi cradling him. Without thinking, he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight.

“It’s okay,” she whispered, gently rocking him. “It’s okay … I’m here.”

Fear was not something he was used to—much less sheer, sudden terror. Not just seeing what he had been again, but to be reminded how easily his beloved could be taken from him. He looked at her—her ivory skin, brown eyes and raven hair with the rose she liked wearing in it—and felt sick at the idea of losing her again.

“I …” she said. “I came to tell you have visitors, but … you need to get into bed. You’re still not well.”

“Wait,” he said, regaining his bearings. “Wait, I’m okay. I just need a moment.”

He got to his feet and slowed his breathing. In the mirror, he was himself again. Clear water poured from the faucet, and he splashed some on his face. He didn’t know what that was, or if it was connected to Sareena, but it did nothing to ease his dread and doubt.

“Visitors,” he said. “Who’s here?”

“I think it’s Sub-Zero’s brother. And some woman named Ashrah. They said it’s important.”

**End of Chapter III**


	4. Gamble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scorpion and Ashrah each take chances on Sareena.

Sareena was tired.

She hadn’t rested in days. After escaping the Lin Kuei, she searched for the Shirai Ryu which was no easy feat even with the portal transporter. She’d never interacted with Scorpion personally but guessed given their mutual camaraderie with Sub-Zero and hatred of Quan Chi he would be her best chance at an ally.

But even his memory had been altered, confirming what she feared. Something happened while she was in the Netherealm. Memories changed, resurrections … or perhaps reality itself had been rewritten. She couldn’t imagine what the cause was but knew enough about Sub-Zero and his allies, and the battles they fought, to guess this was the work of gods or god-like beings.

She cringed and chafed. The rope Scorpion bound her wrists with was tight and uncomfortable. She could easily break it but thought it best to play along. The cuts on her back and arm, though, seemed to be getting worse. Like something alive was digging into her flesh and reaching deeper every passing minute.

_I shouldn’t be here_ , she thought, shaking her head. She was just an escaped demon of the Netherealm. She helped the Lin Kuei out of gratitude to Kuai Liang, but it wasn’t her place to fight in wars between good and evil, Earthrealm and its enemies, or gods and sorcerers.

Sighing, she tried to take some comfort. She found Scorpion, and he was willing to listen. His memories might’ve been changed, but he seemed to have some awareness of how things should be. Once they were through, he could go to Raiden or Sonya Blade and convince them to help. Then it wouldn’t be her problem any longer.

Her only concern was survival and Sub-Zero’s safety. Beyond that was the domain of heroes and chosen ones—which she was neither.

The deck above creaked, followed by the thumping of footsteps. She assumed the first was Scorpion, but he was followed by two others. One’s steps were light and barely heard. The other moved carefully, as one would if they suspected danger.

“I’d prefer to talk outside if you don’t mind,” Scorpion said. “I don’t like discussing business in front of my family.”

“It’s no trouble, Grandmaster Hasashi. We shouldn’t be long.”

She recognized Ashrah’s voice instantly, and her stomach dropped. They’d found her. Or at least guessed she’d reach out to Scorpion for help. Her heart pounded. He barely trusted her, if at all. Who knew what Ashrah would tell him? How much would it take to convince him she was a threat?

“I’m surprised to find you here, Bi-Han,” he said. “I thought you retired.”

“My days in the field are over,” he replied. “But I still watch over my brother. This demon we saw … it troubles me.”

_He wouldn’t tell them_ , she told herself as sweat formed on her brow. _He wouldn’t_.

Wouldn’t he? As far as he knew, she was a strange woman he just met—an admitted assassin for Quan Chi. And now he knew she was a demon as well. What reason did he have not to hand her over?

Every instinct told her to run. Either slip away as quietly as she could, or just bolt and hope for the best. But Scorpion took the transporter from her, and she was weakened as it was. If she ran, she’d have nowhere to go.

With no choice and feeling helpless, Sareena sank to the ground and hoped she wasn’t wrong about him.

* * *

The woman that called herself Ashrah was indeed as Sareena described—standing out in her pristine white attire like a beacon. A sword with a serpentine blade was at her side, and Scorpion noted she had her hand on the hilt. He sensed an otherworldly aura about her. He likened it to staring into a bright light.

Bi-Han’s presence, however, sickened him. To have his murderer standing before him—in his home, where his wife and son were within sight—made his blood boil. He told himself their enmity wasn’t real. Merely a nightmarish fever dream, but seeing him brought the memory back like it happened yesterday.

He kept it inside and used it to focus. Unless she already fled, Sareena should hear what they were saying. A part of him thought to just tell where she was and let that be the end of it. But he couldn’t ignore the doubt that lingered in his mind. Fever dream or not, experience made him a suspicious man, and he wouldn’t make his choice until he knew for certain.

“Tell me about this demon of yours.”

“It calls itself Sareena,” Ashrah replied, her voice soft but cutting. “Although a demon, it can assume a human form. That of a young woman distinguished by a white streak in black hair and tattoos on its face. I’ve been hunting it for some time.

“I approached the Lin Kuei earlier this week to warn them,” she continued. “Sareena meant to infiltrate them, but I got there first. Unfortunately, it escaped before I could kill it.”

“I see. And what does this Sareena want?”

“What does any demon want?” she said. “To kill. To destroy. It may be in the service of some dark master. It really makes no difference. Demons are evil and must be eradicated. Grandmaster Sub-Zero has also sent emissaries to the Special Forces and White Lotus to warn them. If Sareena doesn’t come to you, it may try infiltrating them.”

“When you say infiltrate, how do you mean?”

“However it can.”

He turned his gaze to Bi-Han, who stood at the railing with his arms crossed. “You say you saw this demon?”

“I did,” Bi-Han replied. “Rather brazen, actually. She just walked up to our door and acted like we already knew her.”

He nodded and wondered what Sareena was thinking below their feet. That more or less matched her version of what happened, but she insisted she really was a friend of the clan and they didn’t remember her for some reason. If she was trying to infiltrate the Lin Kuei to destroy, she went about it in a sloppy and poorly planned manner.

There was also the medallion she had on her. He recognized it from the Lin Kuei—not given lightly. And a transporter from the Special Forces. There were pieces to this story missing.

“You don’t think it’s worth catching the demon alive?”

Ashrah frowned. “What for?”

“It seems to me,” he said, “if a demon is trying to infiltrate or terrorize the Lin Kuei or Shirai Ryu or any of Earthrealm’s other lines of defense, it has a greater agenda than wanton murder. You even just suggested yourself Sareena might be serving a master. You don’t think it’s worth looking into?”

“Grandmaster Hasashi,” she said. “With all due respect, I’ve hunted and killed hundreds of demons in my time. I can assure you Sareena is no different and no better. Catching it alive will serve no purpose. If it’s found, it must be killed. There can be no hesitation.”

Scorpion stared at her and wondered. It could be she wanted Sareena silenced, but she might just as easily be resolute. Her wardrobe suggested she was quite devout and devoted to her righteous cause. They were dealing with an actual demon after all.

“What does Kuai Liang have to say about this?”

“He’s not opposed to taking Sareena alive,” Bi-Han said. “I don’t agree with him, but I think he has the same suspicion you do.”

“Please don’t underestimate what we’re dealing with, sir,” Ashrah said. “Sareena has particular skills. Its human form is no accident. It’ll come at you with a sweet face and friendly smile. It will peer into your mind and tell you what you want to hear. Make no mistake: the demon is a deceiver above all. Better to destroy and be done with it.”

Her words gave him pause. Could that be why Sareena thought she could just walk up to the Lin Kuei unopposed? Perhaps that was why she knew of Quan Chi and his history with Bi-Han? Did she read his thoughts and sense his confused memories? Was her wounded desperation just a ploy to get his guard down?

“Grandmaster?”

What if it was a trap? He’d feared there would be some catch or price for having his family back—what if Sareena was the one to collect? Had he really brought a demon of the Netherealm to his home?

Ashrah watched him closely, and her eyes narrowed. “Have you seen this demon already, Grandmaster?”

* * *

It took everything in Sareena to resist screaming out. Listening to Ashrah speak, she wanted to burst through the wooden deck and wrap her hands around her throat. She didn’t even know this woman, and yet she was being vilified and condemned with lies.

She waited to hear Scorpion’s response, and despair filled her heart. Why wouldn’t he give her up? She was just a demon, and who in their right mind would trust her? What reason did he have to doubt Ashrah’s word?

It wasn’t fair. Kuai Liang had believed in her. She earned the respect of the Lin Kuei. Yet now, for reasons she didn’t understand, she’d been robbed of the few people who actually trusted and cared about her. Ashrah and whatever forces that brought her took them away and was now doing the same with Scorpion.

“Grandmaster Hasashi,” Ashrah said. “If you’ve already encountered this creature, you must tell me. I cannot emphasize enough how dangerous it is. Sareena’s cruelty knows no bounds. If it cannot get to you, it will harm your family.”

Scorpion remained silent, and she thought she might burst out of her skin.

“I’ll have you know it was personally mentored by Quan Chi himself. I’d think you would understand the gravity of that.”

Sareena bit her tongue so hard she tasted blood. More lies that stung as much as the wound on her back. She understood then Ashrah was no simple huntress tracking loose demons. She was deliberately out for her in particular and would say and do anything she needed to accomplish her task.

A long, agonizing silence followed. She braced herself, expecting Scorpion to say the word any moment. Maybe not even speak, but signal to them she was under the deck? When he did, it was then only a question of whether she should run or at least try to murder Ashrah before they took her down.

“No. I haven’t seen this demon.”

Time stood still. She almost didn’t believe it. A part of her thought it was trick or cruel joke. But Scorpion then repeated that he’d never encountered her and assured Ashrah and Bi-Han he would be careful to watch out. Some more talk and warnings, and her hunters bid farewell and left.

Sareena felt like she could melt. Her knees were like rubber. The abrupt shift from anger, fear and desperation to relief and confusion was so severe she became lightheaded.

Silence followed as Scorpion remained alone for some time. She didn’t know what to expect when she heard him finally climb down the stairs to meet her. When he appeared before her, looking guarded and tense, he stared at her with narrowed eyes. She wasn’t sure whether to thank him or plead for mercy.

“You neglected to mention you are a demon.”

“Sorry,” she said. “It’s not exactly something you open with.”

He nodded and took a breath before approaching. Then he grabbed her by the neck and pressed her against the wall.

“No more games,” he hissed. “Start talking.”

“What am I supposed to say? I told you I don’t know what’s going on! I don’t know why Sub-Zero doesn’t remember me!”

“But you know to tell me what I want to hear,” he said. “You know what I saw in my dreams.”

“No, I don’t! Ashrah was lying to you! I’m not a mind-reader! I can’t see your thoughts!”

“How do I know that?! How do I know you’re not some succubus clouding my mind and playing at my fears?!”

Anger returned, and she felt the part of her that was a demon threatening to burst. There was only so much she could take. “I’m telling you,” she growled through gritted teeth. “I don’t know anything about your dreams.”

“Then how do you know of Quan Chi?”

“ _Because I was his slave_!” she screamed. “I wasn’t ‘mentored’ by him, I was his property! Not a day went by where he missed a chance to remind me that I was nothing and could never be anything more! You think Quan Chi wronged you? You think you know his wrath? I spent an _eternity_ suffering for his pleasure!”

Dizziness came over her again. She’d been through too much with too many emotional extremes in a short time. It was dangerous for a demon to lose control of themselves, but by now Sareena was just exhausted.

He let go of her and stepped away. He looked uncertain, likely wondering if he should take her at her word or accept Ashrah’s explanation.

“I was ill recently,” he said. “Plagued by visions. Quan Chi isn’t real. He’s only a product of my nightmares. Yet you know him. Maybe you’re only reading my thoughts. Maybe you planted those nightmares in my mind during my illness. Maybe this is all a trap.”

“Scorpion … please, I—”

“But Ashrah knew of Quan Chi, too,” he continued. “And she didn’t just mention him in passing. She brought him up knowing I would react.” He frowned and clenched his fists. “There’s more going on than she claimed. She knows more.”

Sareena thought she should’ve been relieved, but his words troubled her. What he described sounded like an enchantment, which might be what happened to Kuai Liang. But who could or would go to such lengths? For what purpose? Why was she unaffected? And if Ashrah was involved, why?

“Hanzo, what’s going on?”

Scorpion’s wife appeared with her son in her arms. Harumi was a lovely woman wearing a white kimono and red rose in her black hair. The boy, Satoshi, was a toddler with scruffy hair and large eyes that immediately locked onto Sareena.

“I heard shouting,” Harumi said. “Who are you—oh!”

She jumped at the sight of Sareena. Scorpion quickly went to her and said, “It’s okay. She’s with me.”

Satoshi waved, but Harumi stared at her with wide eyes. “What is this? What’s going on?”

“She came to me for help,” he said. “Listen, go back inside and contact Takeda. I need him.”

“What’s going on, Hanzo? Does this have anything to do with Bi-Han and that woman that was just here?”

While Scorpion talked with his wife, Sareena’s attention was drawn to the woods surrounding his home. Late afternoon and thick leaves kept the trees shrouded in shadow, allowing perfect cover for someone to approach and move around. The weather was pleasant and mild as one would expect in mid spring, and to anyone else, a cold breeze would’ve meant nothing.

But Sareena had spent too much time around Cryomancers. What she felt was the icy chill of the arctic.

“Scorpion … get your wife and son inside. Now.”

* * *

Scorpion had barely a moment to register Sareena’s warning before he felt the icy chill in the air—one that reminded him of that night long ago in the Shaolin Temple.

His eyes fixed on Harumi and Satoshi before him, like taking a photograph of them in his mind. Since waking up in this new world that may or may not have been real, he’d been haunted by a sense he was living on borrowed time with his family. Deep down, he knew sooner or later someone or something would come to collect.

He turned and wasn’t surprised to see Bi-Han and Ashrah standing at the other end of the field outside his home. Emissaries may have been sent to the Special Forces and White Lotus, but Ashrah likely guessed Sareena would seek his help before others. He wondered if it was a coincidence Bi-Han should be the one to accompany her.

“You disappoint me, Scorpion,” Ashrah said. “You have the reputation of a devoted family man. Yet you risk them on a demon?”

He stepped forward, keeping Harumi and Satoshi behind him. “I don’t take kindly to threats.”

“I’m not the threat here, sir,” she said. “The only danger here is the creature standing beside you. Allow me to do my duty, and we all carry on with our lives.”

“Bi-Han, you said your brother was willing to take Sareena alive. She’ll cooperate if we promise not to harm her.” He turned to her and added, “Right?”

Sareena blinked at him, but quickly understood. “Y-yes,” she said. “I don’t want to fight. I’ll-I’ll tell you anything you want to know.”

“Don’t insult me,” said Ashrah. “There’s nothing to tell. You’re wasting time.”

She drew her sword and strode toward Sareena. Scorpion put himself between them. “Not another step.”

“Don’t you see? It’s as I warned you! The demon has gotten into your mind! Oh yes, it’ll talk if we allow it to live. It’ll tell you anything and everything it needs to say. It’ll plant seeds of doubt and nourish them. It’ll stoke your fears and mistrust. You’ll see enemies where your allies are, and you’ll damn yourself on its behalf.”

It was convincing. Scorpion would lie if he said he didn’t see the logic in her words. Maybe Sareena had latched onto him, preying on his fears and suspicion, and ensnared him into being her pawn? Maybe he was endangering everything he held dear standing up for her?

“Just answer me one question,” he said. “How do you know who Quan Chi is to me?”

Ashrah looked perplexed. She almost replied immediately, as if the answer was obvious. But then she hesitated, and he saw it in her eyes. She did know who Quan Chi was and what the sorcerer meant to him. More importantly, she realized she wasn’t supposed to.

“Bi-Han,” he said. “Both of these women have questions to answer. And I think your brother will need to hear what they say, too.”

A nasty scowl fixed on Ashrah’s face. She took a step back and seemed willing to cooperate. “Frost! _Now_!”

What followed only took seconds, but to Scorpion, time slowed to a painful crawl. He turned to catch a faint blue glow coming from above. Sub-Zero’s apprentice Frost stood atop his roof, preparing an ice beam.

It was clear she aimed to hit Sareena, but to his horror, Harumi and Satoshi were still there. Too close. She was either overconfident in her aim, or didn’t care if they were hit as well.

Without thinking, the kunai was in his hand and ready to throw. But Bi-Han grabbed hold of him and restrained his arms. A strangled scream tried to escape his throat too late. Frost launched the beam, and he could only watch as the air turned cold.

Thankfully, Sareena saw what was coming. She broke free of the rope binding her and tackled Harumi and Satoshi away from Frost’s beam, shielding them with her own body. The spot they’d been standing froze instantly—wide enough to have consumed all three of them if she hadn’t acted.

“Easy, Hasashi,” Bi-Han whispered. “That wasn’t a lethal shot. We just need to immobilize—”

Scorpion roared. Raw fury took hold like he was a spectre once again. He threw his head back and slammed into Bi-Han’s nose. The former Sub-Zero, not expecting such rage, offered little defense as Scorpion throttled him with a pair of heavy punches that sent him into the dirt.

He then hurled his spear at Frost with all his strength. She screamed as it plunged through her shoulder. He pulled the rope in an overheard arc and sent her hurtling through the air. She crashed into the ground head-first and was left unconscious in a heap.

Ashrah, wisely, was nowhere to be found. Struggling to contain his anger, he looked to his family and shouted, “Harumi! Satoshi!”

Sareena answered, “They’re okay.”

Harumi held Satoshi in her arms and looked frightened, but to his relief, was unharmed. They rushed to him, and Scorpion embraced them in a tight hug. He stared at the patch of ice Frost left from her beam and shuddered at the thought they could’ve been frozen solid—even if it wasn’t a lethal shot, as Bi-Han claimed. To again be reminded how easily his family could be stolen from him made him nauseous.

Sareena screamed.

It was a horrific sound that chilled him to his core. It was the sound of pain unlike anything he could imagine. Ashrah’s sword slid through her back and out her abdomen like a scalpel through paper. And as suddenly as it came, her scream cut off in a choked gasp, and she crumbled to the ground.

“Why did you do that?!” Harumi shouted. “She protected us!”

“I apologize for endangering you,” Ashrah said, impassively. She looked down on Sareena with cold eyes and raised the sword to finish her. “But this was necessary. Now, I shall—”

“ _GET OVER HERE_!”

The steel spear embedded itself into her chest. She had a moment to stare at it in shock before the rope snapped taut, and she was pulled away. Scorpion met her with a devastating uppercut that lifted the White Huntress off the ground and into the dirt a yard away.

Harumi rushed to Sareena. Shaking with anger, Scorpion stood in front of them as Bi-Han and Ashrah returned to their feet. “ _Enough_!” he bellowed. “You come to my home and bring an assassin behind my back?! You attack my family?! Who the hell do you think you are?!”

“That creature is a demon!” Ashrah said. “It must be exterminated! And you lied to us!”

“Listen to reason, Hasashi,” Bi-Han said, wiping blood from his nose. “That thing’s in your head. We didn’t want it to come to this, but you left us no choice.”

“Now move aside and let me do my duty!”

“Not another step!” he shouted. “This woman is now under the protection of the Shirai Ryu! An attack against her is now an attack against us!”

Bi-Han stopped in his tracks, but Ashrah’s eyes bulged with rage. She tore off her hat, letting her brown hair loose, and gripped her sword. “ _Move aside_!”

“You heard me, Bi-Han. Are you ready to explain to your brother why you had to kill the Shirai Ryu’s Grandmaster and declared war?”

“You think I give a damn about your clans?” Ashrah hissed. “I have been entrusted with a sacred task. That thing dies tonight!”

“Lady Ashrah,” Bi-Han said. “Know that if you continue this attack, you will be doing it alone.” When she stopped to glare at him, he continued, “Grandmaster Hasashi made his decision. I will not be the one to break the truce between our clans.”

He spoke like the words were bitter poison in his mouth. His face was locked in a tight grimace that matched Ashrah’s. Yet despite his apparent disgust, he attended to Frost and said no more. Ashrah gave a look of black fury to Scorpion but took a breath and sheathed her sword.

“This isn’t over,” she said, putting her circular hat back on. “You’ll regret this, Hanzo Hasashi. And I’m not finished with you, demon.”

She stormed away without another word. As Bi-Han carried Frost in his arms, Scorpion said, “Tell your brother if he has an issue with Sareena, he can explain it to me himself. Until then: get off my land.”

Bi-Han eyes were cold and brimming with hate. He replied in an icy whisper: “Another time, Hasashi.”

When they were out of sight, he first turned his attention to Harumi. “Hanzo,” she said. “She’s hurt.”

Sareena lay on the ground, curled in a ball and clutching her stomach. He knelt to check on her, and she convulsed at his touch. Her latest wound was unlike anything he’d ever seen. It was cauterized, as if the blade was red hot, and her body seemed to be reacting to it like poison.

“This is beyond my skill to heal.”

“There must be something you can do,” Harumi said.

“I’ll try,” he said. “Send word to Takeda. Get him down here. Quickly.”

As she ran to the house with a crying Satoshi in her arms, he turned to Sareena and looked her in the eye. It didn’t even matter now Ashrah was hiding something. Or that there was more going on than appeared. And it didn’t matter to him she was a demon or even a former servant of Quan Chi.

“You protected my family. I will help you any way that I can. You have my word.”

**End of Chapter IV**


	5. Awake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kitana and Mileena have a sisterly chat, and Shang Tsung makes new friends.

_This is a terrible idea_.

Kitana stood before the entrance to Mileena’s chamber. Behind her, the two Seidan Guards were unconscious on the floor. She did ask to speak with her sister, but the guards insisted there were to be no visitors. The fight was brief.

After the episode with her mother, she had spent the next hour wandering the palace. She didn’t even bother attending dinner with her parents. She roamed the halls, her skin crawling at the sight of every Seidan she passed, certain some terrible secret lurked just around the corner or expecting another earthquake to split the land open.

Her heart leapt into her throat at the sight of Shao Kahn in the shadows, only to realize it was merely another statue of some ancient Edenian warrior or King. She heard the ocean outside, and it only made her think of the Sea of Blood. Nothing felt real, and with every step, she expected to wake up and find herself reaching for Liu Kang’s hand again.

This couldn’t go on. She needed to do something but didn’t know where to turn. She didn’t even know how to explain the awful dread that haunted her. Her father would try to placate her. She didn’t trust her mother. She barely saw Jade anymore, and when she did, Jade seemed content and reassuring. Liu was on Earthrealm.

That left only one person.

She took a breath and worked up the nerve to enter. Had it really come to this? In her desperation, she was going to Mileena of all people? Maybe this was a dream or an illusion, or maybe she truly had gone mad, but to her Mileena was still her psychotic clone first and foremost. They spent centuries …

(… or had she only been created during the Outworld tournament? Oddly, Kitana seemed to remember it both ways …)

… as mortal enemies with Mileena obsessed with killing her.

But she needed answers and felt in her heart her sister was the key. She remembered the haunted look in her eyes the night of the ball. She thought of Mileena drifting away at times with a lost expression. It had to mean something. Somehow, if there was something to discover, it had to start with her—just like when she first learned the truth about Shao Kahn.

_Or I truly have lost my mind. Either way_ …

“Mileena?” she asked, knocking. “It’s me: Kitana. I’m coming in.”

She opened the door and crept in, as one would if someone was sleeping. The chamber was similar to her own, though arranged differently. The balcony overlooked the sea, and a fat yellow moon was visible just over the horizon. The night sky turned to a deep shade of violet and filled the room with a purple glow.

The bed was empty, and fresh incense burned on the nightstand, but Mileena was nowhere to be seen. Looking around, Kitana found by the mirror drawings of varying quality—some cartoonish and child-like, others detailed and realistic. Flipping through them, she was surprised to discover her sister was quite the artist.

“Mileena? Are you here? I need to—”

A shape lunged from the shadows and tackled her. They rolled along the floor, struggling for a dominant position, but Kitana was caught off guard. She wound up on her back with her attacker sitting atop her.

Mileena’s eyes burned and looked almost yellow in the evening light. “Oh,” she said, blinking. “Hello, sister. You startled me.”

She stood and helped her to her feet. She then smiled and sat on the bed, twirling a sai between her fingers. Kitana stared at her, feeling as tense as she did around her mother. For a moment there, she saw Mileena as she knew her best. And just as quickly as it came, she was the benign sister again.

“Were you expecting an attack?”

“Hm?” Mileena replied. “Who would attack me?”

“You’re armed.”

She looked at the sai, like she only just realized it was in her hand, and dropped it. “I wasn’t,” she said, turning pale. “I didn’t even realize I had it! Gods, I could’ve hurt you!”

She looked genuinely upset and confused, and it only increased the dread in Kitana’s gut. Was this just an act? If not, what then? Was this even really Mileena?

_Or are we both mad?_

“I’m really sorry,” Mileena added. “I don’t know what’s been wrong with me lately. I feel so … so … I don’t know.”

“Mileena,” she said. “Are you … have you been …” She trailed off, uncertain what to say. “I don’t really know where to start.”

“Start what?”

She took a breath and tried to organize her thoughts. “Have you … been having strange dreams recently?”

Mileena looked at her cock-eyed and with a wry smirk. “I guess,” she said, shrugging. “But I’ve always had bizarre dreams.” She scratched at her jaw. “You’re still troubled by your coma, huh? Your memories aren’t back yet?”

“Something like that. I guess I’m just hoping if I talk to you … it’ll make sense.”

“I wish I could help,” she said with a sympathetic smile. “But I don’t know what to tell you. Like I said, I’ve been out of sorts myself lately.”

Kitana sighed and looked through the drawings by the mirror. The first few were sketches of their parents and Edenian landscapes. Next were pictures of black towers against orange and purple skies. Hooded figures hovering before a circular void and people fighting on a bridge overlooking a pit of spikes.

Finally, a doodle of Mileena hugging a grinning man with sharp teeth and blades coming from his arms.

“Mileena, does the name Baraka mean anything to you?”

“Yeah. He was my dog.”

“What?”

“Remember? He was that stray that wandered into the garden when we were kids. Everyone was afraid of him, but he liked me. I named him Baraka.” Her smile was soft and warm, but there was sadness in it. It melted into a bitter frown as she continued, “Father made me give him up when he bit you. He said they’d give him away to someone who’d take care of him, but I know the truth. They put him down.”

She looked at her, and for a moment, Kitana saw the true Mileena again.

“Now that you mention it,” she said. “I did actually have a dream about you last night.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. We were fighting. I don’t know what it was about but … I was so angry with you. I just … I just wanted to …”

Her breathing deepened, as if simply thinking of it angered her. Her lip trembled, and her eyes burned. She looked like there was something on the tip of her tongue. Some wronged fury she wanted to scream out but couldn’t speak it.

It passed. Blinking and shaking her head, she continued, “I-I don’t remember. But I did want to talk to you about it. And that’s when I got caught by those damn Seidans over curfew. Can you believe that? A curfew?!”

“Mileena,” she said, her voice dry and reluctant. “Do you know who Shao Kahn is?”

Her face went blank. As if her mind left her body, leaving her with nothing but an empty stare. She came back with a shiver. “I … no. No, I don’t think so.” She rubbed her jaw like it ached. “Kitana, what’s this about? I don’t see how this is helping.”

A chill went through Kitana’s blood. Watching and listening to her, she felt certain. The real Mileena was there, but this was no act. She almost seemed entranced, but at times on the verge of waking—torn between whatever this was and the real her.

She put the drawings aside and braced herself. If she was right, and her sister needed to be woken up, then she knew what had to be done. “Which of us do our parents love more?”

Mileena hesitated, looking dumbstruck. “What? Are you serious?”

“Which one of us does our father love more?”

“How can you ask me that? Father loves us both!”

Kitana stepped toward her. She hated this but wouldn’t waver. “We both know that’s not true. We both know I was the one he preferred. I was his prize. I was his best.”

Mileena stood up, looking wounded. But a flicker of anger kindled in her eyes. “No, you weren’t.”

“You are not my sister. You were born of Shang Tsung’s sorcery.”

“Stop it …”

“You are evil and have no place in this world!”

“Shut your mouth.”

“You were never worthy of being Shao Kahn’s daughter.”

Mileena roared and tackled her. She wrapped her hands around Kitana’s throat and squeezed while screaming, “You’re nothing! I’m the daughter he always wanted! I’m the only one worthy of his name! _I am perfection_!”

They wrestled around the floor before Kitana managed to shove her off. They stared at one another, breathing heavy, and slow realization came to Mileena. She blinked and looked around, as if she had woken up from a long and deep sleep.

“There you are,” Kitana said. “Welcome back, sister.”

* * *

Time was a blur to Shang Tsung.

He awoke in brief, hazy patches long enough only to get a sense of his surroundings before blacking out again. He was being moved, but judging from the caves, anonymous forests, and abandoned huts, also kept hidden. His dreams were haunted by fragmented images of Raiden, Liu Kang, the Great Kung Lao and Shao Kahn—all taunting him and reminding him of his unworthiness.

He was still in his decrepit aged form. His arm remained broken, and he likely suffered other internal injuries from Sektor’s self-destruct. In his long life, he couldn’t recall ever being so weak. He truly felt as old and frail as he looked, and it sickened him.

Ermac was always near. He sensed the collective being—the many souls that formed him—and like a man dying of thirst who sees someone drinking, he craved.

Another was often with the ninja. A hooded figure Tsung couldn’t get a good look at. They spoke only in whispers, leaving him ignorant of their plans, but he cared little. Though he loathed to be at the mercy of others, for now they kept him alive. When the time was right, he would take their souls. All of them—all of Ermac …

He regained consciousness again to the sound of muffled growling. Through his blurred vision, he saw they were hidden in another cave. The nearby campfire was a blinding glare, rendering it impossible to make out the shapes around him, but he guessed Ermac was speaking with his hooded companion again.

There was a third shape this time. Something large and wriggling in between them.

“This is unwise,” Ermac said. “He’s too dangerous.”

“Perhaps,” said the hooded one with a strange, raspy voice. “But we’ve reached the portal. We leave tomorrow, and we may need him to fight.”

Ermac sighed and approached Tsung. He lifted his hand, which glowed an eerie shade of green, and behind him, the third figure levitated closer. It dropped in front of him, and Tsung saw it was a Zaterran. Neither Reptile, nor Khameleon, but a healthy, muscular youth who struggled and growled against Ermac’s telekinetic bind.

“Take him, sorcerer,” Ermac said, not without disgust. “Recover your strength.”

He stared at the red ninja, thinking this might be a trick. He then looked at the reptilian creature and sensed his soul. It wouldn’t restore him completely, but it would undo much of the damage caused by Sektor.

He weakly reached out with his good hand and green flames slithered into the Zaterran’s chest. Still weak, it took more effort than normal. But slowly, the reptile’s soul drained from his body, and Shang Tsung felt life return to him. He remained in his elderly form, and his arm still hurt, but he was no longer near death.

With a wave of his hand, Ermac threw what was left of the Zaterran into the darkness of the cave. Tsung sat up and rubbed his arm, but watched the ninja from the corner of his eye. Though he knew it would be folly, the temptation to strike was there. How many souls had Shao Kahn used creating him? Dozens? Hundreds?

Unfortunately, though Ermac was no mind-reader, he anticipated his intentions. In a flash, Tsung was rendered immobile as a green glow engulfed his body.

“You truly can’t help yourself, can you?”

“You wound me, Ermac. You think I should be so foolish? I wouldn’t dare.”

“Yet,” he said. “You still live by our good grace, sorcerer. Don’t think you’re indispensable.” With another wave of his hands, like a conductor over his orchestra, Ermac held him in place and bound him in chains. With that done, he muttered, “Such a waste,” and hovered to the entrance of the cave to stand guard.

Tsung chose to ignore that final comment and writhed and chafed. His arm, though mended, wasn’t fully healed, causing constant pain to throb against his binds. “So, what’s the meaning of this?” he asked. “Where are you taking me?”

“Earthrealm, Shang Tsung,” said the hooded man, coming forward. “We intend to cross the portal come sunrise.”

He removed the hood, revealing a ghoulish face with blank white eyes. The flesh below his nose and entire jaw was gone—as if torn off—revealing bare bone and teeth. He regarded Tsung with a friendly nod, his ruined face locked in what appeared to be a demented grin.

“I am Havik. Perhaps you heard of me?”

“Lunatic of the Chaos Realm,” he replied. “Obsessed with creating disorder wherever he goes. Shao Kahn tolerated you because your machinations benefited him.”

“You flatter me.”

“No, actually I don’t,” he said. “I also could’ve sworn you were dead.”

“Conceivable. Perhaps I was. Or am. Who can say anymore, in this topsy-turvy world we live in?” He laughed—an ugly sound that made Tsung imagine cockroaches crawling in the dark. “But then, I could say the same of you, Shang Tsung.”

“Touché, Cleric. But shall we forego the pleasantries and get to the point?”

Havik chuckled again and glanced at Ermac, who remained impassive at his post. He jabbed at the crackling fire with a stick and spread the flames on the burning logs. His sunken eyes, though blank and bloodshot, were feverish and deep in thought.

“I suppose you haven’t given much thought as to how you’re still alive?” he asked. “Or why Reptile attacked you … with Sektor, no less.”

“Not as yet. I assume it relates to Liu Kang manipulating Kronika’s Hourglass.”

“Ah. So, you believe we are merely in a new timeline?”

“What other explanation is there? Liu Kang bested me and took control of the Hourglass. He’s clearly created a timeline where Shao Kahn and Quan Chi and the like don’t exist.” He scoffed and spat on the ground. “A practical utopia.”

“Then explain how you’re here,” Ermac said. “Explain how we still exist. Or how Reptile and his people knew to hunt you down.”

“This is not Liu Kang’s work,” said Havik. He then snatched an insect from the ground and popped it in his mouth with a crunch. “What we are seeing is more ambitious than tinkering with time. Reality itself has been rewritten.”

Tsung stared at him, expressionless. “Bold theory,” he said. “But pardon me if I’m hesitant to take the word of a madman missing half his face and whatever the hell Ermac considers himself.”

“Do not speak of us as if you are any better, sorcerer,” Ermac barked. “What are you but a walking prison of souls with not one to call his own?”

“Gentlemen, please,” Havik said. “Lord Tsung, you’ve been near death for the past few days. I can’t expect you to fully grasp the extent at which the realms and everyone in them have been altered. But I assure you, sir, though this may seem a glorious paradise free of evil, the cracks are already showing. Some have fallen through those cracks, and our enemy sees us as a threat. Reptile was merely the beginning. That Zaterran you fed on … he was tracking us for days.”

“There will be more,” Ermac added. “Our enemy has other allies, and they’re moving fast.”

He looked from Havik to Ermac and Havik again. It certainly sounded mad, but Reptile did mention serving a new master. “Suppose I believe you. How is this even possible? What could override Kronika’s Hourglass?”

“That’s what we hope to find out in Earthrealm,” Havik replied. “I have suspicions, but I don’t know for certain.” He sighed and sat back with his hands behind his head. “Alas, for the time being, we must tolerate one another … we poor few who have no place in the new world.”

Tsung frowned, his thoughts conflicted. On the one hand, a part of him saw opportunity. If he played along, perhaps he could find a chance to take control of whatever power caused this. On the other, he wondered if this might be a battle to avoid. Playing arrogant Titans and manipulating time was one thing. He had no idea what he was dealing with here.

“Have you any idea who is responsible for this?” he asked. “Who could wield this power, whatever it is?”

“That, I do know. Tell me, Shang Tsung … have you ever heard of the Dragon King?”

* * *

“None of this makes sense.”

Mileena stared at her reflection in the mirror, stretching her jaw and checking her teeth, as if convinced something would happen or appear. Kitana stood at the other end of the room by the balcony and rubbed her neck.

“Do you remember anything?” she asked.

“It’s coming back,” Mileena said. “But it’s … it’s jumbled. It’s like … it is like a dream. In a dream, you don’t question where you are or where you’ve been. In the moment, everything makes sense. But the more I think about it …” She cringed like her head hurt. “My real memories are coming back, but it’s … how did this happen? Where are we really?”

“I’m not sure,” she said. “To tell the truth, I wasn’t even certain if any of this was real.”

Mileena looked around, taking in her surroundings, and no doubt asked herself the same questions that had been plaguing Kitana since she awoke. “You said something about a Titan that could alter time. Could that be it?”

“Maybe. But that doesn’t explain how I remember the old timeline. You wouldn’t either.”

She turned to the mirror again, and her own reflection seemed to make her uncomfortable. “I probably shouldn’t even exist.”

“What’s the last thing you do remember?”

She was quiet a moment. “Dying,” she said. “D’Vorah killed me.” She shivered, as if she felt something crawling on her. “You were dead, too. A revenant of the Netherealm last I heard.”

“I know. I was told. But I’m not that Kitana. Kronika manipulated time so I could fight in … well, my future—your present.”

“So which Kitana are you? When are you from?”

She was about to speak, when another tremor rumbled through the land. It was slight and quick, only rocking the palace slightly, but she was struck then by an image in her mind. She remembered killing Mileena during the Outworld tournament. But she also remembered only just meeting her for the first time then.

“Mileena … how old are you?”

She almost answered right away, as if it was obvious, but hesitated. That distant, haunted look returned to her eyes, and Kitana knew she was thinking the same thing. They remembered the events of their lives in different ways.

“No,” Mileena said, shaking her head. “No, I remember … _years_ … we served our father for centuries. And you … during the Outworld tournament … you …” She stared at Kitana with a look of confusion and horror. “You couldn’t have, because then I … I wouldn’t have become Kahnum …”

“I didn’t kill you before Kronika pulled me into the future. But … I remember …”

“ _None of this makes sense_!” Mileena shouted, punching in her mirror. “Time travel and dreams and … and … who did this to us?! Why?!”

“I don’t know. Until now, I thought I was just going insane.”

“Maybe we both are.” She picked her pair of sai and started pacing around the chamber like a caged animal. “What happens now?”

“I have no idea,” she said. “Assuming we’re not both trapped in an illusion, there must be somewhere or someone that can give us answers.”

Suddenly, there was knocking at the door. From the other side, a voice yelled, “Princess Mileena! This is Hotaru, Lord Commander of the Seidan Guard! Open this door immediately!”

Mileena sneered, and Kitana remembered she left the two guards unconscious outside. She had hoped they just begun their shift and would be left alone for most of the night, but it seemed someone noticed.

“We need to get out of here.”

“Fine,” said Mileena, twirling her sai and striding to the door. “The mood I’m in, I could use some venting.”

“Wait!” she said, blocking her path. “We shouldn’t kill anyone.”

Again, Mileena’s face went blank. Though this time it wasn’t the haunted, empty look of realizing her memories were false. It was the stupefied expression of someone who’d just heard something profoundly stupid.

“Are you taking the piss?”

“We shouldn’t engage. Not until we know what we’re dealing with.”

More pounding on the door, and it was clear Hotaru wasn’t alone. Mileena’s face darkened, and she seemed eager to let them in.

“Mileena, listen to me for once! Look around—we’re dealing with something that’s rearranged reality itself and altered our memories! Our only hope of getting through this is if we move as quietly as possible!”

The noise at the door upgraded to slams. The Seidans were willing to break it down. “ _Open this door_!”

“I think it’s a little late for ‘quiet’ now,” Mileena said.

“No, it isn’t. As far as anyone knows, we’re just being disobedient. But if we start killing everyone in sight, we might draw the attention of whoever or whatever is behind this.”

She scowled in response, unmoved.

“This thing brought you back to life, Mileena! Who’s to say it can’t make you disappear with a snap of its finger? We need to be smart! Now is not the time for fighting!”

She cringed and ground her teeth, but Kitana saw her words were getting through. “Fine,” she said. “We’ll do it your way. For now.”

**End of Chapter V**


	6. Agitators

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scorpion and Sareena get some answers, while Kitana and Mileena have some setbacks.

After taking a gulp of water from his canteen, Scorpion poured some over his head to counter the heat. The temperature rose even as the sun went down, and the sky seemed ablaze in shades of orange, red, and pink. The small clearing in the deep woods offered no breeze, leaving the air humid and sticky. Having to carry Sareena didn’t help.

“Where are you taking me?”

She sat on the ground, clutching her side and curled in an almost fetal position. Like Scorpion, she was sweating, though that was likely more to her wounds than the heat. She was pale, eyes sunken, and looked like she had the flu.

“North,” he replied. “The Sky Temple.”

“You’re taking me to Raiden?” she asked, her voice weak. “Do you think that’s wise?”

“I need his counsel,” he said, sitting on a stone across from her. “Whatever is going on, he’s the only one I can think of who might understand. And he might be able to heal you.”

She frowned but didn’t argue—probably because she had no better ideas. The injury on her stomach looked foul. When she first came to him, her wounds were red and turning purple. Now, they’d darkened to nearly black. Sareena wasn’t human, so he didn’t expect her to react to injury as one would, but this seemed deathly even for a demon.

“How are you holding up?”

“I feel like something is eating me from the inside. Like rotting fruit.” She cringed and winced, making a sound like a dying animal. “Thank you though. For believing me.”

Scorpion nodded and took another swig from his canteen. He was never much for conversation, and talking seemed to hurt her. His thoughts were occupied by Harumi and Satoshi anyway.

Before leaving home, he gave Takeda his orders. He wanted the Shirai Ryu on alert and prepared for anything. Although he doubted Sub-Zero wished for conflict, Frost’s recklessness—which he felt certain was goaded by Ashrah’s zeal—revealed how tenuous their truce really was. And even if the Lin Kuei itself wasn’t a threat, who knew who else the White Huntress might turn to.

“One last thing, Takeda,” he had told the boy before he left. “Once everyone has their orders, I want you to take Harumi and Satoshi. Tell no one where you’re going. Avoid all roads. Keep them hidden and safe at all costs.”

Takeda recognized the gravity of his commands and looked nervous. But he accepted them and solemnly said, “I will do my best, Grandmaster. But would they not be safer with the rest of the clan?”

Logically, they would. But Scorpion didn’t think they were dealing with a logical situation. Whatever Sareena had stumbled into, whoever Ashrah was or represented, he felt in his bones the best course was keeping his family as far away from everything as he could. Dream or not, altered timeline or not, the last time he left his family unattended, Quan Chi happened.

“I need them where they would be least expected,” he said. “Trust me. The safest place is where no one would think to look. Even me. I’ll worry about how to contact you later.”

Takeda accepted his orders, and Scorpion bid his farewell to his wife and son. He second-guessed himself a dozen times before he finished saying the words, and another hundred times as he took Sareena north—wondering if he should’ve brought them along after all or take some other course of action—every step of the way fearing he might not see them again.

“You’re still worried about your wife and son,” Sareena said.

“What makes you say that?”

“If you weren’t,” she said. “You would’ve been asking me questions and getting what information you could out of me. You’ve been quiet this whole time.”

He could’ve offered an excuse about waiting until they found Raiden. He could’ve brushed her off and said there was little point if she didn’t understand what was going on any more than he did. But she was right.

“It’s only been a few hours,” he said, sighing. “But I keep replaying our departure in my head and asking what I should’ve done differently. It’s as if …”

“It’s like our fates are already decided,” she said. “Like you’re already certain you made the wrong choice and played into someone’s hands.”

He stared at her, surprised by how well she articulated his dread.

“That’s years of Quan Chi,” she continued. “It was his greatest strength: creating a sense that no matter what you do, you’re falling into his trap because he’s always ahead. Believe me, I know.”

“You’re right. I think of how long I spent dangled on that bastard’s string. Now, even free of him, he haunts me.”

“Even though I’m with the Lin Kuei, I was always rooting for you to finally get him.” She gave a slight laugh, though it seemed to hurt her. “I don’t know if you knew, but I think you’re the one person to make him feel fear. I liked that.”

He smirked and found comfort in having someone to share his hatred of Quan Chi. He knew many had their own grudges, but his quest for revenge had always been a solitary on. The sorcerer was his and his alone to kill. “I suppose it’s selfish of me,” he said, “to carry on as though I’m the only one deserving of vengeance against him.”

“Vengeance would be nice,” she said. “I just wanted freedom.”

“Perhaps he’s the one behind this? Who knows? Maybe we’ll both get a chance to take a piece of him before it’s over?”

“A pleasant dream. But I’m no hero.”

He nodded and took one last sip of water before standing. The portal transporter was helpful, but it only took them so far before burning out for good. Now on foot, and carrying her, they wouldn’t reach the Sky Temple for at least another day or two. Hopefully, Raiden would understand the meaning behind all this and know what to do. Scorpion was willing to fight for the righteous cause, but like Sareena, he was no hero either.

Just as he was about to pick her up, he heard something stir in the woods. On reflex, he grabbed his kunai and braced for attack. Sareena also sensed something near, and though wounded, took hold of the kamas she brought from his home.

He took a step forward, when suddenly his entire body began to glow with a green aura. He lifted into the air, and though he struggled to move, his body froze. Somewhere amidst the trees, he saw a figure appear with eyes that matched the aura holding him.

“No!” Sareena yelled, forcing herself to her feet. Despite her injuries, she held up the kamas, ready to fight. “Show yourself!”

Her body began to glow, too. But the energy that held them in place aggravated her wounds, and she screamed in pain as she was levitated off the ground.

Hearing her, rage took hold of Scorpion. Using all his might, he resisted the aura and managed to break free of its hold. With a roar, he hurled his kunai at the figure and heard a strange grunt as it hit.

He pulled on the rope, dragging into a view a ninja dressed in red and black he recognized as Ermac. He met their attacker with a punch to the jaw, which released Sareena. Ermac stumbled back but created a telekinetic shield to defend from the follow-up.

“Stop!” he said. “We mean no harm!”

Scorpion was eager to continue fighting, but upon hearing Sareena groan behind him, he checked on her. Her wounds weren’t opened or made worse, but the levitation did her no good.

“Forgive us,” Ermac said. “We weren’t sure if you were friend or foe.”

“What are you doing here?! What do you want?!”

“Unless I’m mistaken,” said Havik, appearing with a bound Shang Tsung in tow. “We probably want the same thing.”

* * *

Mileena’s chamber wasn’t as high up as Kitana’s, so they were able to escape easily enough before Hotaru and his men broke down the door. There were ledges and portions of the roof they could climb to and reach the garden below. They avoided any guards patrolling the grounds, scaled the wall, and fled into the forest.

After several minutes of running, they stopped to rest by a creek deep in the woods. The night was crisp and silent save for the chirping of crickets. There was no visible moon, and the trees were thick with leaves, which made Kitana confident they wouldn’t be easily found if the Seidan Guard pursued them.

She wondered, though, how much danger they faced with the Seidans. Strict as they were, as far as anyone should know, they were merely violating a curfew. Hardly cause to send out a garrison, she hoped. She had bigger problems to worry about as it was anyway.

“So what happens now?” Mileena asked, splashing some creek water on her face. “Where are we going?”

“We should head to the portal,” she replied. “Then we go to Earthrealm and contact my allies there.”

Mileena scowled like she’d been offered rotten food. “ _That’s_ your plan? Run to Earthrealm and hope your heroes can save us?”

“Do you have a better idea? We still don’t know what we’re dealing with. We don’t know how they’ve done whatever this is, and we don’t know why. We need allies, Mileena. We need answers.”

The sneer didn’t leave Mileena’s face as she grumbled and spat on the ground. “We should’ve made a stand in the palace. We could’ve beaten answers out of someone.”

“Or gotten ourselves killed or worse,” she said, crossing her arms. “For all we know, everyone else here is as caught in the dream as you were. They’d be in the dark, too.”

“Or they’re a part of it. How do we know whoever’s responsible for this isn’t …” She trailed off, and her eyes narrowed. “You think those are your real parents back there, don’t you?”

Kitana hesitated. The question caught her off guard.

“That’s the reason you don’t want me to kill anyone: you think you can fix all this and keep your mommy and daddy at the same time, don’t you?”

She felt flustered and exposed. Not just because Mileena was correct, but she spoke it like an accusation. “What if I do?” she replied, trying to shake it off. “You’re not some illusion. You’re the real Mileena. Why shouldn’t I think that’s the real Jerrod back there?”

“What if they are, and you’re wrong about them? You happen to know just how you wound up a revenant in my timeline?”

A shiver went up her spine. She was told about the massacre her mother caused. But she had thought that was only because of Shao Kahn’s spell. Because she never believed the real Sindel would ever do that. Her real mother would never …

“You do know,” Mileena said, seeing her discomfort. “You know what happened between you and Sindel.”

“Yes,” she grumbled, barely audible.

“You know that Mommy beat you to death because you were so convinced she—”

“ _I know_! You don’t have to tell me, because I already know! I know what my mother is!”

She turned away and took a breath. Her heart beat faster, and her stomach fluttered. She didn’t want to dwell on it, but Mileena planted the idea. Suppose her mother “woke up” as Mileena did and was the hateful, cruel woman she last encountered on the Sea of Blood?

Behind her, Mileena stared, hands on her hips, and a slight smirk formed. “No … don’t tell me.” She snickered. “You, too.”

“What are you talking about?”

“That’s why you were acting so jumpy around her,” she said. “Something happened to you, too. I’m right, aren’t I?”

“Just drop it.”

She let out a mocking laugh that cut like a razor. “You can’t lie to me, sister. What was it? She beat the hell out of you, too? Killed Jade? Slept with your boyfriend?”

“Don’t make fun of me,” she growled, shaking with anger.

“So you’re telling me that even with Kronika screwing up the timeline, Mommy dearest still made you her dog.” She cackled. “That’s just sad.”

The fan was drawn before Kitana even realized what she was doing. It whizzed past Mileena’s face and embedded into the tree behind her. A few locks of black hair sunk to the ground at her feet, along with a drop of blood from the fresh cut on her cheek.

She felt her wound and looked at the blood on her fingers. She grinned, but it was only to mask the boiling rage behind her eyes. “Okay,” she hissed. “We’re doing this now, are we?”

Kitana took another breath, her fists clenched so tight her nails dug unto her palms, and tried to regain her composure. “I’m not fighting you, Mileena,” she said with her eyes shut. “But don’t push me.”

“Don’t threaten me,” she replied, drawing her sai. “And don’t think anything’s changed between us. Regardless of what’s going on or who’s behind it, you and I still have unfinished business.”

“Wonderful. Now you really are back to normal,” Kitana grumbled as she retrieved her fan. “I should’ve gone to Jade. What was I thinking turning to you for help?”

Mileena frowned, and for a moment, she looked offended. “I didn’t ask for this either. If someone remade the world, why wasn’t I brought back in Outworld where I belong? I’m no Edenian. I never was.”

Her voice was bitter and defensive, but Kitana detected something else. Almost wounded. She turned to say something, when five armed and armored soldiers sprang the from bushes.

The Seidan Guard had found them.

* * *

Havik sat at the campfire, somehow looking even more ghoulish with the crackling flames lighting his ravaged face. His blank eyes were eager and, as ever, he appeared to be grinning as he watched the small animal cook.

“That’ll do,” he said as he snatched it from the fire. Blood spurted out when he bit down and tore at the dead squirrel’s flesh. It was a hideous sight with a worse sound.

Shang Tsung sat beside Havik, bound in chains and sulking, and seemed particularly disgusted by it. Ermac, bathed in his ominous green aura, hovered off to the side with his legs crossed like he was sitting. He floated a few feet off the ground, his eyes closed in meditative silence and paying little mind to his companions.

“Hungry?” asked Havik, steaming blood dripping from his chin.

Scorpion sat at the opposite side of the fire, his face set in a disturbed scowl. He glanced at Sareena next to him, and she seemed to make even less sense of the strange man (or creature) before them.

“I’ll pass.”

“Suit yourself,” he replied with a shrug and another messy chomp. “Now, with that initial awkwardness behind us, might one inquire, fellow travelers on this lovely evening, where you are going?”

Another uncomfortable silence followed as Scorpion wondered what, if anything, he should tell them. He didn’t think it coincidence they should cross paths, and he doubted they would be in league with Ashrah, but that didn’t mean they were allies. Even aside from Havik, as far as he knew Ermac was one of Shao Kahn’s deadliest enforcers and Shang Tsung’s reputation spoke for itself.

Tsung, perhaps sensing his hesitation and having little patience, groaned and said, “We’re going to the Sky Temple to find out what’s happened to the realms. You don’t have to trust us, but we are not the enemy for a change.”

He looked at the sorcerer and, despite everything, appreciated the directness. “I’m taking Sareena to the Sky Temple. I was hoping Raiden might have answers or at least heal her.”

“Excellent!” said Havik with a clap of his hands. “Now we’re making progress. Tell me, what do you remember?”

“I don’t—”

“I’m addressing the lady, sir,” he interrupted. “Sareena, yes? Formerly one of Quan Chi’s? I need you to tell me what you know.”

“About what?” she replied, hesitant. “I don’t … I was doing reconnaissance in the Netherealm for the Special Forces. They were occupied with Liu Kang and Kitana, so I was asked to keep a lookout for anything else going on down there.

“When I returned to Earth,” she continued. “I don’t know. Something happened. I remember a bright flash and then … I was in Arctika.” She winced and held her stomach. “When I went back to the Lin Kuei, no one remembered me. Some woman named Ashrah convinced them I was a threat and attacked me.”

“Ashrah, eh?” Havik said, tapping the bare bone of his chin. “I might’ve known.”

He exchanged a silent look with Ermac, leaving Sareena to glance at Scorpion in confusion. “Who is she? Why is she trying to kill me?”

“Ashrah was once like you,” Ermac said. “A demon of the Netherealm and servant of Quan Chi. The sword she wields is a holy weapon. It purifies her the more she uses it to slay evil.”

“Evil?” Tsung scoffed. “According to whom?”

“Who can say?” said Havik. “Ask the Vampires, they’ll tell you the sword is called the Datusha and that it warps its wielder’s mind. Either way, the Lady Ashrah is quite dedicated to her cause. I’m not surprised she’s been recruited by our enemy.”

“Do you plan on explaining what’s going on and who this enemy is anytime soon?” Scorpion demanded. “How my wife and son are alive or how Quan Chi apparently doesn’t exist anymore?”

Havik took one last bite of his bloody meal and tossed the bones into the fire. “Onaga,” he said. “The Dragon King. According to legend, he was the Emperor of Outworld before Shao Kahn. After Kahn killed him, it was prophesied he would one day return to reclaim his throne and impose his dominance on the realms.

“And it would appear,” he continued. “Somewhere amidst the battles against Shinnok, the Kahns and Kronika, the prophecy has finally been fulfilled. The Dragon King lives again, and he’s somehow found a way to reshape the realms as he sees fit.”

Silence fell over the camp. Scorpion looked at Sareena, who stared at Havik. They had both suspected the explanation would be something like this, but to hear it outright was another matter. Changing time was a daunting idea in itself. For something to literally rearrange reality was something else.

“And this is the result,” Tsung said with disdain in his voice. “A seeming utopia—free of evil and knowing only peace.” 

“Thus, you’ve been rid of your bane and blessed with your living family. I suspect there’s no sense in running down individual by individual, but I’d wager many of your contemporaries have been granted similar blessings. Power, wealth, lost loves, status … a world where their deepest dreams have come true.”

He listened and was disturbed to realize he’d been right after all. His family and clan returned, Grandmaster of the Shirai Ryu, peace with the Lin Kuei, respect from the Thunder God and Earthrealm’s defenders … since waking up, he’d feared it was all too good to be true.

“Could …” Sareena said. “Could that be why Bi-Han is alive? Not for Scorpion, but … Kuai Liang?”

“Yes,” he said before Havik replied. “He has his brother back, and as a better man than he was when he died. His friend Smoke. His apprentice. We’ve all been given what we most desire.” He scowled. Even if it was everything he wanted, it was manipulation all the same—no different than Quan Chi. “But what for? And why us?”

“I cannot say,” he said. “But make no mistake: whatever his reasoning, Onaga is not a benevolent ruler. Unlike his successor, he lorded over his domain with the strictest order. Sedition of any kind was not and will not be tolerated.”

“So how does Sareena fit into this? Why didn’t she get what she wanted?”

“She is a demon. Unnatural, like the rest of us. Ermac was forged by Shao Kahn’s magic. Shang Tsung is also a demon. We fell through the cracks and exist outside Onaga’s utopia. That’s why we remember the world as it was and have no place in this new one.”

“And you?”

“I’ve lived too long in the Chaos Realm. It … changes you.”

“There may be others,” Ermac added. “Because we don’t fit into our enemy’s new world and can’t simply be erased from existence, we have been deemed a threat. Ashrah was sent for you. We’ve been stalked by Reptile and his kind. The Lin Kuei cyborg Sektor was kept around only long enough to be used against Shang Tsung. If there are others, Onaga has his agents hunting them as we speak.”

The ground rumbled. Trees swayed and looked ready to fall over. Birds scattered to the night sky, and in the distance, wolves howled. When it ceased, an eerie silence fell over the land. Scorpion and his companions exchanged looks, each fearing the same thing without saying it aloud: that wasn’t a coincidence.

“The realms are unstable,” Ermac continued. “Whatever Onaga’s doing to reshape reality, it cannot be sustained like this. Unless he’s stopped, he’ll remake reality again and again until he gets it right or the realms cave in on themselves.”

“The world is broken,” Havik said. “Between Raiden and Kronika’s tampering with the timelines and now this, all of existence stands at risk. We’re not talking about chaos, my friends. This is oblivion we’re facing.”

He let that last point hang, and Scorpion knew it was an invitation to join their cause as much as a warning. “How do you plan to stop him?”

“We must first learn how Onaga is doing this,” he said. “I have a theory, and I hope the answers may be contained in the Sky Temple.”

Scorpion looked to Sareena, and although she insisted she was no hero, there was no question as far as she was concerned. But despite everything, he remained reluctant. Aside from never being much of a joiner outside his clan, it was difficult to feel confident aligned with a madman missing half his face, Shao Kahn’s enforcer, and a treacherous sorcerer. And that wasn’t counting his own demon companion.

 _What a sorry lot this is_.

“I’m taking Sareena to the Sky Temple,” he said. “Beyond that … we’ll see.”

“Fair enough,” Havik said. “We’re not unreasonable. Strange times make for strange bedfellows, no?”

* * *

The five Seidan Guards were each armed with a naginata and wore their traditional gold and black armor, complete with helmets that obscured their faces. They surrounded Kitana and Mileena and held their weapons up, poised to attack if need be.

Mileena drew her sai and looked eager to respond in kind. Kitana, however, was taken aback. She expected this escapade with her twin would rile up Hotaru and his men. She knew the Seidans responded harshly to even minor transgressions. But five armed and armored soldiers ready for a fight?

“Princess Kitana,” said the center guard, likely the leader or Captain of this outfit. “Princess Mileena. You are to return with us to the palace at once.”

Mileena hissed in response. Kitana, though still on edge from their argument, thought to at least attempt reason. “For what?”

The Captain stood at attention and, like reading from a report, replied, “Princess Mileena is in fracture of her punishment for breaking curfew. Princess Kitana, you are charged with aiding Princess Mileena in breaking said punishment and assaulting two Seidan officers. Princess Kitana and Princess Mileena, you are both charged with vacating the palace through an improper exit, leaving palace grounds without permission, breaking curfew again, stepping off the assigned road, questioning the orders of the duly designated—”

“Never mind.”

She charged and rammed the Captain with a running knee to his faceplate. The mask dented with a loud clang, and he fell flat on his back. She drew her fans and snapped them open as the remaining guards to her left and right prepared to attack.

The one on her farthest left grunted when Mileena hit with her Teleport Kick. Without hesitation, she plunged her sai into the back of the next guard. He yelled in pain, but the blades did little damage through his thick armor. He turned and swung at her with his naginata while his fellow guardsman did the same.

With Mileena occupying those two, Kitana turned her attention to the others. She played defense at first, knowing Seidan armor was too thick to puncture in a straight fight. As she recalled from her years serving Shao Kahn, Seidan Guards were best handled with ambushes and precision attacks. Without the element of surprise, her best chance would be to exploit their armors’ weaknesses.

She left one floating in the air with her Fan Lift and attacked at the other guard’s joints. She managed to find a weak spot by his knee that dropped him to the ground with a quick slice. He tried to scramble back up, but his armor left him slow and unable to defend when she snatched his helmet off.

Instinct and reflex told her to cut his exposed head from his shoulders. But she instead knocked him out with a stiff punch to the back of his skull. Despite her distaste for the Seidans, she didn’t know if they were truly her enemy yet.

The remaining guard finally dropped when her Fan Lift dissipated. He hit the ground in a heap, his armor sounding like pots and pans. Like his comrade, it left him too slow to get back up in time to defend himself. She kicked him so hard his helmet flew off his head and into the woods. One final blow finished the job, and both guards were unconscious at her feet.

Her twin, on the other hand, didn’t share her caution or mercy. When Kitana turned to look, one guard was already dead—a sai sticking out of his neck—and the other didn’t last much longer before Mileena plunged her weapon into his helmet’s visor. Blood poured down his chest like a waterfall, and he collapsed to the ground twitching.

“What?”

“I told you we shouldn’t be so quick to kill here,” she said. “Suppose there isn’t some dark secret behind all this. What if it turns out this is the work of some benign force that really just wanted us to have peace? Now you’re a murderer.”

“Like I give a damn,” she said, collecting her sai from the two bodies. “Even if that does turn out to be the case, this place isn’t for me. I don’t belong here.” She wiped the blood off her weapons and sheathed them. “And what do you care either way?”

Kitana shook her head and sighed. “Whatever,” she said. “Let’s get going before …”

She trailed off and looked at the downed Seidans. Again, she found it odd five guards chased them into the woods looking for a fight. Also strange they caught up to them so quick, given she and Mileena only just fled the palace that night.

 _Unless they do know more_ , she thought.

“What are you doing?” Mileena asked, while she picked up the Seidan Captain and stirred him awake.

“Who are you working for?” Kitana demanded. When he only stared at her in silence, she added, “You people coming here isn’t just diplomacy. You were sent here to keep an eye on us and make sure we stay in line. That’s it, isn’t it?”

“I only follow the orders of my Lord Commander Hotaru,” he replied. “I was told to bring you two back to the palace.”

“Five guards chasing two runaway princesses over a curfew? I don’t buy it. Maybe you don’t know, but I’m sure Hotaru does.”

“Kitana, what are you talking about?” Mileena asked.

“They are involved,” she said. “Whoever’s behind this … they had the Seidans come to Edenia to make sure we don’t act up.” She turned back to the Captain. “What are your orders? What were you told to look for? Did you see something with Mileena, and that’s why you had her confined to her chamber?”

“I know nothing that my commander doesn’t tell me.” His face darkened. “But you should’ve accepted this, Princess. Our master gave us all what we wanted.”

“Kitana …”

“Who is your master?” she demanded. “How did they do this? What are they after?”

Another quake rumbled through the land—a longer and more violent tremor than before. Birds and animals were stirred from their slumber and sent running. Kitana nearly lost her balance, and the ground beneath her feet actually cracked.

And then Mileena started screaming.

It was a bloodcurdling shriek that made Kitana’s heart jump. When she turned, Mileena was clutching her face and stumbling about. She looked as though some invisible force had grafted onto her and she was desperately trying to pry it off.

“Mileena! What is it? What’s wrong?!”

“It hurts!” she shouted, crumbling to her knees. “It … it _hurts_! _Oh god, WHAT IS IT_?!!!”

Her screaming got louder and more piercing. Kitana could only watch in horror. In spite of everything they’d been through, watching Mileena writhe in pain all she wanted was to help her and make it stop.

The screaming finally died down. Mileena held her face in her hands, curled in a ball on the ground. Dull whimpers could be heard as she tried to stand.

“Mileena? What … what happened? What was that?”

She rose with her back to her. Her breathing was hoarse and ragged. “No,” she muttered, touching her face. “No, no, no … it can’t be …”

She rushed to the creek and looked at her reflection in the water. A noise unlike any Kitana had ever heard from her came out. A broken, wounded sound that made her think of the Sea of Blood. Without yet seeing it, she already knew what happened.

“Mileena … I’m sorry.”

She turned, revealing her face and confirming what Kitana guessed. Yellow eyes burning with rage, and her cheeks were a torn ruin with enlarged, razor teeth protruding out. Her front teeth had become fangs, and her jaw resembled the deformed grin of a Tarkatan.

“Look!” she barked. “Look at me! _You did this_!”

“I didn’t—”

Kitana didn’t even have a moment to fully process what happened before Mileena tackled her. Her clone grabbed and clawed at her face, screaming, “You did this! You always take everything from me! I hate you! I hate you, I hate you, _I HATE YOU_!”

“ _I didn’t do this to you_!” she shouted back, struggling to force her off. “Mileena, I swear, I don’t know why this happened!”

She snarled in response.

“ _I am not your enemy_! I promise! Together we can find who’s responsible for this and make them pay!”

Kitana felt her breath against her face. So close, she could see every detail of the returned Tarkatan teeth. Hands gripped around her throat, Mileena’s eyes were filled with hate and fury, yet glistened with tears.

In the heat of the moment, she wondered: _Should I have let her stay asleep?_

A shadow came over them. They both looked up to see the Seidan Captain back on his feet with a naginata in his hand, ready to plunge it through Mileena’s back and likely into Kitana’s chest.

“In the name of the Dragon King,” he shouted. “Die, the both of you!”

In a flash, Mileena’s grip around Kitana’s neck released. With a roar, she pounced on the Captain and sank her teeth into his neck. He let out a high-pitched shriek as he collapsed with her on top of him. His scream devolved into a gurgle as hideous tear sounds emerged with a splatter of blood.

Kitana backed away, holding her throat with one hand, but keeping one of her fans in the other. When Mileena finished, she simply sat on the dead soldier’s chest and stared toward the sky in silence. Her breathing was deep but controlled as blood dripped down her chin and neck.

Kitana waited, unsure whether to expect another attack or not. Her own breathing hoarse, she choked out, “Mileena … I didn’t—”

“When this is over,” she interrupted, her voice deeper and eerily calm. “After we’ve dealt with whoever or whatever is responsible … you and I are going to settle things between us. Once and for all.” She looked at her, her eyes now cold and focused. “Understood?”

Unable to think of anything to say, Kitana simply nodded. “Understood.”

**End of Chapter VI**


	7. Unwanted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kitana and Mileena reflect on their brief reigns. Shang Tsung makes Sareena an offer.

“How much farther?”

Kitana and Mileena stopped to rest after a few hours of travel. The Edenian portal was nineteen miles south of the palace, so getting there through the woods on foot was quite the trek. They left the two surviving Seidan Guards bound to a tree and neither had spoken since Mileena’s face returned to normal.

“We’re a few miles away,” Kitana replied. She looked at Mileena and guessed what she was thinking. “If we stop to rest, we can reach the portal by dawn.”

“What do you figure we’re looking at if we do?”

“Well,” she said, stretching her back. “We probably have another hour or so before the Seidans realize the patrol that followed us never came back. Another hour before they find the two we left alive. Once that happens—”

“Then we’re officially fugitives,” she said, adjusting the purple cloth she wore as a mask. “You think they’ll guess we’re headed for the portal?”

“I’m sure someone will think of it if they haven’t already. But it’ll take time for them to spread the word and mobilize.” She scratched her hair and yawned. “We should rest anyway. It’s been a long night. I think we can still reach the portal before they lock it down.”

“It’ll be tight,” Mileena said, taking a seat at the base of a thick tree. “How many will be there if we don’t make it in time?”

“Can’t say,” she said, sitting at the opposite side of the same tree. “Too many variables, too much I don’t know. We’ll just have to hope for the best.”

A soft, cool breeze drifted through the forest. Although no moon could be seen, the sky was clear and packed with stars that twinkled gently in the vast void above. In any other circumstances, Kitana would’ve found it a soothing sight. She might even have sought an open field and watched the sky to try and learn her home realm’s constellations.

Behind her, Mileena took one of her sai and absently dug into the dirt with it. “I’m a little surprised you’re okay with your back to me like this.”

“I know you, Mileena. You want to beat me in a fair fight. Killing me in my sleep doesn’t prove anything.”

Mileena fell silent. Without looking at her, Kitana knew she wanted to retort but couldn’t deny her assessment was accurate. The realization she was that predictable seemed to trouble her more than anything.

“I’m sorry. It’s not exactly a secret.”

She grumbled and started chipping at the tree’s roots with her sai. “Well,” she said. “I’ve learned my lesson. After those bastards backstabbed me in Outworld, I’ll be sure to keep things closer to the chest in the future.”

“Kotal told me about your reign as Kahnum.”

“So you understand why I’m not exactly eager to seek the help of your Earthrealm friends?” she hissed. “I haven’t forgotten the part they played.”

“Fair. But like it or not, I fear we’re all in this together. I don’t know who or what the Dragon King that Seidan mentioned was, but I think it’s safe to say we have a common foe.”

Mileena muttered something under her breath and continued jabbing at the tree. “By the way, how did you get on with Kotal? If he saw me as a threat to his throne, I can’t imagine how he must’ve reacted seeing you alive again.”

“There was tension. Though, to be honest, we didn’t have much of a chance to get into it—what with Kronika and the merged timelines. After I defeated Shao Kahn, the matter was effectively settled.”

Mileena was silent again. This time, Kitana did turn to her and found wide, disbelieving eyes staring back. “Wait,” she said. “You’re telling me you defeated our father? You fought him yourself … and won?”

“I did,” she replied. She paused and just hearing it said aloud made her smile. “All these years … I dreamed of it but never believed I could do it myself. And then … next thing I know, I’m facing him and …” She replayed the battle in her mind and couldn’t help but laugh. “I really did that. I beat him. Probably my finest moment.”

She laughed again and tried to think of a time she’d ever been prouder of herself. She’d fought countless opponents for thousands of years and overcame all manner of foes—some far stronger and more powerful than her—but they all seemed to pale in comparison. For one joyous, triumphant moment, she—Kitana, daughter of Jerrod and rightful Princess of Edenia—stood victorious over Shao Kahn himself.

“Then I was made Kahn of Outworld. And all the people cheered.”

“And what did Kotal have to say about that?” Mileena asked. “He didn’t take kindly to my claim.”

“He named me, actually. His fight with Shao Kahn left him crippled, and since I was victorious, he deemed me worthy.”

Mileena convulsed. If she had been drinking something, she would surely have spit it out. “Are you kidding me?!” she barked. “That Osk-Tekk prick took everything from me, and then he just handed it over to you?!” She growled and stabbed at the dirt with her sai while muttering various curses. “Oh, he will get his! Mark my words: every damn one of them will pay!”

“Don’t feel too bad,” Kitana said. “My glorious reign as Kahn lasted little more than a day.”

She sighed and closed her eyes, thinking of what went wrong and what she should’ve done differently. She could’ve finished Shao Kahn when she had the chance instead of telling herself imprisoning him was justice or proving she wasn’t like him. She could’ve known nothing good would ever come from Shang Tsung’s efforts. Fought Sheeva harder and maybe prevented Sindel’s resurrection.

_If I had known not to trust her_. _But how could I? She was my mother_ …

“You were right,” she said, clearing her throat. “What you said earlier. My mother, she … there was no spell. She wasn’t loyal to Kahn because of his sorcery. That’s just who she is. When she found her chance, she revived him and they sabotaged my armies during our assault on Kronika. The battle was a disaster, Kotal was killed, and I was forced to watch them torture Liu Kang.”

She refused to cry in front of Mileena but shuddered realizing she went from her greatest triumph to complete failure in the span of a day. From Kahn of a cheering Outworld to beaten pariah in mere hours.

“Thinking about it now,” she continued. “I think the worst thing is how quickly the people turned on me. After I was defeated, our step-father gave my armies a choice: renounce me as a false Kahn and pledge their loyalty to him again … or go down with me.”

She sniffled and wiped her eye.

“I know I shouldn’t judge them. The battle was lost, and they chose survival. But I just … I wanted to believe the people, if given the chance, would reject him. That there was a place for hope and peace in Outworld. When they named me Kahn, I thought … I thought it was because they believed in me and what I fought for.

“But they only seek the strongest. Nothing more. They made me Kahn because I happened to be the only one standing at the time. And when the time came … no one stood for me.”

She kept her eyes on the ground. Though it felt cathartic to get that out, a part of her regretted saying it to Mileena. Her “sister” only knew loyalty to their step-father and would’ve gladly helped him tear her down. If anything, she likely relished hearing about her betrayal, heartbreak, and failure.

“Maybe that was our mistake. Thinking they were our people.”

Kitana turned and was surprised to find Mileena not cackling over her misery or snidely mocking her pain. She sat with her back to her, staring at her sai, and looked contemplative. And even a little sad.

“I believed our father was what held Outworld together,” Mileena continued. “When he was gone, I thought they would rally to me. Who was his heir if not me? But they rejected me just like they rejected you. The ones that didn’t jump to Kotal only sought to use me.”

It was difficult to tell because her mask, but she seemed to cringe. But like Kitana, she wouldn’t cry. She instead hissed and plunged her sai into the ground.

“They’re not worth it, sister. They won’t have us.”

“Maybe when this is over you and I should go off on our own,” Kitana said. “Stop caring who rules, hunt down those that wronged us, and just … do as we please.”

Mileena snorted. “What a pair we’d make.”

“We were pretty formidable together. Imagine what we could accomplish if we didn’t hate each other.”

Mileena actually laughed. It wasn’t her usual cackling or mocking giggle but genuine laughter, and it made Kitana laugh herself. For a brief moment, the pain and hate and betrayal was gone. They understood one another.

It passed, like the soft breeze that blew by, and silence returned to the woods. Kitana’s eyes were heavy, and she wished for some sleep. But a question came to her—one that had been nagging at her since waking up from her “coma.”

“Mileena?” she said. “Could we … could we ever have been sisters?”

“What?”

“Could you …” she said. “Was there ever a time we could’ve truly been sisters? Or did you hate me from the start?”

“As I recall,” Mileena said. “You didn’t exactly welcome me with open arms.”

“No, I didn’t. I admit that. When we first met, I … I only saw you as an intruder. I feared you’d take my place.” She paused. “In fairness, that is what you were meant for. But suppose I had embraced you as my sister, would it have made a difference? Or was it already too late? I’d really like to know.”

She sneered, and Kitana thought she’d dismiss her questions or insult or. But she sighed and appeared to really think on it.

“I … don’t know,” she said. “I really don’t remember. I think … I might have …” She thought some more, and Kitana saw a kind of resignation in her eyes. She looked tired. “It doesn’t matter. Even if there was a chance, Father made it clear pretty quick you were the obstacle I needed to overcome.”

Kitana nodded, not sure how to feel about her response, or if she should feel anything. “Shao Kahn’s gone now,” she said. “You don’t have to prove anything to him anymore.”

Mileena turned to her and looked like there was something she wanted to say. But she shook her head and only said, “Get some rest, Kitana. We still have a long way to go.”

* * *

Sareena awoke from a thin and unsatisfying sleep. Pain flared in her midsection that spread throughout her body. It felt like someone took hold her of her spine and twisted, making every nerve in her fire. She burned on the inside, yet somehow was freezing at the same time. She knew she was getting worse.

Her vision cleared to see it was still night and the campfire burned. Ermac remained hovering in silence nearby, but Scorpion and Havik were leaving. “Where are you going?”

“Scout ahead,” Scorpion said. “Go back to sleep.”

She took a breath and tried to relax. Her knees pressed to her chest, and she held her stomach tight. She didn’t know if curling in a ball helped with the pain at all, but the idea of unnecessary movement made her nauseous. Getting back to sleep was going to be an ordeal in itself.

“Demon.”

Shang Tsung sat before her, propped against a tree and still bound in chains. He looked weathered and aged, but not as ancient as she’d heard. He stared at her with cold, analytical eyes that made her uncomfortable.

“You’re wasting time going to Raiden,” he said. “I hope you realize that.”

“Pardon?”

“You’re a demon. The Thunder God can’t help you. And even if he could, he wouldn’t. I promise he doesn’t care about you.”

She blinked at him, more perplexed that he was even addressing her. She glanced at Ermac, who made no visible indication he was listening, but felt certain he would act if Tsung said or did anything suspicious.

“… okay,” she said. “What else am I supposed to do?”

He gave a quick aside glance in Ermac’s direction, and she already knew what was coming. “I could heal you,” he said. “It would take dark sorcery to undo what Ashrah’s sword did. Sorcery that I know.”

She frowned and just stared at him. “You must think I’m really stupid, don’t you?”

“What makes you say that?”

“Even if I believed you could heal me,” she said. “I’m sure there’s a price.”

“Obviously, I don’t work for free. But we can discuss that later.”

“And I’m supposed to just let you cast ‘dark sorcery’ on me?” She scoffed and shook her head. “I’ve spent enough of my life in the company of sorcerers to know they can’t be trusted. I’ll take my chances with the Thunder God.”

“As you wish,” he said, shrugging and leaning back against the tree. The campfire crackled gently, and a warm breeze drifted through the clearing. He watched Ermac a moment, who remained silent and motionless, and sighed. “So … you were one of Quan Chi’s were you?”

She said nothing, hoping if she didn’t answer, he’d leave her alone.

“Ah. There it is.”

“There what is?” she asked.

“You flinch when his name is mentioned. You didn’t just serve him. You were his favorite.”

She shivered and then felt embarrassed she proved him right doing so.

“I can only imagine what being the ‘favorite’ of a man like Quan Chi must entail,” he said. “He had you. Shao Kahn had Kitana. For the life of me, I’ll never understand my colleagues’ fascination with singling out a particular woman to torment. If not for me, Kahn’s infatuation would’ve been his final undoing.”

“How proud you must be.”

“Unfortunate business. But necessary. I endured the indignity of serving Shao Kahn until I found the right time to strike out on my own. As I’m sure you did when you betrayed Quan Chi.”

He gave her a knowing look, like he was peering into her soul. It should’ve unsettled her, but it only made her angry. “I just wanted to be free.”

“Of course you did,” he said. “And you can play the redemptive demon all you want, but it’ll make no difference. Higher beings than you have taken their chances with the Blunder God and regretted it. If you think he’s going to spare the effort for a lowly Netherealm creature, you’re in for disappointment.”

“Don’t talk like you’re any better or different than me.”

Tsung chuckled. “That’s adorable.”

“It is, actually,” she said. “Shang Tsung—the demon sorcerer from Earthrealm. Talk it up however you like, the fact is you spent much of your existence as Shao Kahn’s lapdog.”

His eyebrow cocked, and there was a flicker of anger. He smiled, but it didn’t touch his eyes. Although his demeanor was polite and serene, she sensed the contempt from him. “Bold words from one of Quan Chi’s whores.”

Hoping that would be the end of it, Sareena adjusted herself in an unsuccessful attempt to get comfortable. She closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep, pushing away the taunts of Shang Tsung and the doubt he sought to create.

“Demon.”

She frowned and tried to ignore him again.

“Demon.”

She groaned. “I have a name.”

He sighed and, to her surprise, said, “Sareena. Tell me, what is it you think you’re going to get out this?”

“Out of what?”

“This act of yours,” he said. “The poor, wounded creature who only wishes to help. Do you truly believe Raiden or his Earthrealm sheep will accept you as their own?”

She didn’t want to answer, seeing no point in explaining herself. She could already tell Shang Tsung was someone who didn’t comprehend selflessness or even simply wishing live without dominating others. Quan Chi could comprehend it, but he only saw it as leverage—something to exploit. Tsung just believed everyone deep down was as bad as him.

She meant to ignore him, but curiosity came to her. “What do you get out of it?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“I’ve always wondered,” she said, “if you were born a demon and play at being a man, or a man who became a demon. You served Shao Kahn for centuries, waiting for your time to strike. You drain soul after soul, clinging to your youth and power … for what?”

“I nearly had all of history at my command,” he said. “I conquered Shao Kahn, gods, and Titans. If could’ve been me, not this Dragon King, who shaped the realms as I saw fit.”

His tone was proud, even wistful, but Sareena saw him deflate. The fact that he’d been reduced to an old man bound in chains despite his supposed victory wasn’t lost on him. “Was it worth it?”

He looked at her, and she couldn’t tell if he was offended or genuinely confused. “What kind of question is that, girl? If it had not been for Liu Kang, everything would’ve been mine.”

She supposed she should’ve been impressed or intimidated but felt nothing. She considered how many people suffered and died so that Shang Tsung could _almost_ conquer all of history. Or how many were sacrificed for the ambition of Quan Chi and Shinnok for nothing to show for it but misery.

“I don’t suppose you’d understand,” he said. “When all you’ve known is servitude in the Netherealm, I’m not surprised pittance from the likes of Sub-Zero seems like a dream. I aim higher. I deserve greatness.”

“Quan Chi used to talk about you,” she said. “How you could’ve been Earthrealm’s Champion, but you were too corrupt. Is that why you’re so convinced Raiden won’t help me? Experience talking?”

He scowled at her, and it made him look older. “Don’t presume to know me, demon.”

He turned away and would say no more, which relieved Sareena. She looked at Ermac, and if he had been listening to their discussion, he obviously saw no point in interjecting.

The pain in her stomach flared again, causing her to wince. When it subsided, fatigue settled in its place. She sighed, hoping to get some more sleep before Scorpion and Havik returned, and tried to put Shang Tsung out of her mind.

* * *

Kitana and Mileena reached the portal just before dawn. They found a vantage point in the woods to get a view of the land first. A dim blue haze came with the early morning hours before the sun rose, and the temple was dark and quiet. They saw only a few Edenian guards patrolling the cobblestone pathway to the entrance, but no Seidans.

“What if they’re inside?”

“Possible,” Kitana said. “Though Seidans are not known for their subtlety. If they’re here, it’s not for an ambush.”

“How many?”

“If they’re in there waiting?” she said. “Fifteen to twenty at least.”

Mileena grumbled. “That’s ugly.”

The Edenian portal was housed in a humble but elegant cathedral with a circular stained-glass window above the entrance. It stood at the edge of a steep cliff overlooking the ocean. Although not quite a fortress, it was built to ensure an invading presence could be contained within and allow the realm’s army to rally a proper defense. Centuries of peace notwithstanding, King Jerrod wouldn’t allow the passageway from other realms to stand in the open.

With the sun not yet up, Kitana and Mileena effectively utilized their Outworld ninja skills to sneak up to the temple unseen. Though they didn’t need it, the crashing waves below covered any potential noise, and they managed to find a way in through a back window.

Inside the cathedral was shadowy and dark. A few dying candles offered the barest light, and stone columns lined the main hall like watching sentinels. As they crept inside, it was easy to imagine Seidan Guards appearing from the behind those columns and swarming them.

But all was quiet and still as a grave. They climbed the central stairs and made their way to the portal chamber without any trouble—which only served to make Kitana more paranoid. The only resistance they encountered were four guards posted in the chamber: two Edenian and two Seidan. They were easily dispatched.

Kitana and Mileena looked at each other, and both shared the same thought: this was too easy.

“Maybe they didn’t find those guards yet?” Kitana suggested. “Or they think we went somewhere else?”

“It could still be a trap. Though if it is, I don’t know what they’re waiting for.”

The portal chamber was a circular room with an altar standing in the center. Surrounding it were three golden arches arranged in a triangle. They appeared to be made of steel and were forged in a spiral shape like vines. Whether they were integral to opening the portal or simply design, Kitana didn’t know.

“Maybe we caught a bit of luck for a change?”

Just as Mileena said that, Kitana noticed the stone slab before the altar with what appeared to be two switches or levers atop it. In the center of the slab was an opening for what she guessed was a key or object, and below that was a series of notches with different runes carved into them like a combination lock.

Looking at it, Mileena asked the obvious question: “You do know how to open the portal, don’t you?”

Across from the stone slab, lining the wall, were shelves holding wooden cases marked with runes and Edenian writing she didn’t understand. With the benefit of hindsight, she should’ve known, but it turned out opening a portal to another realm was indeed a process.

“I’ll take your silence as a ‘no,’” Mileena grumbled. “Shouldn’t there be … I don’t know, a portal master or something? Someone to open and close it?”

“There probably is,” she said, inspecting the slab. “But he’s not here now.”

“Figure it out,” Mileena said as she left the room. “I’ll block the entrance and make sure no one else gets in.”

Kitana guessed the slab was what activated the portal, like a control port. She then turned to the shelves and removed one of the cases at random. Inside she found another stone with a rune engraved upon it. The rune was a simple square box with another smaller square in the center. The case also contained markings written in Edenian.

Although she didn’t recognize the rune, she guessed it was a keystone that, when placed into the open slot, would open the portal to whatever realm the rune represented. Simple enough, she supposed. Now she just needed to figure out which case held the Earthrealm keystone.

The cases were labeled, but again, Kitana’s inability to read Edenian hindered her. There were over a dozen cases—some locked—and the runes engraved on the keystones gave little to no indication of which realm they represented. 

“Damn you, Shao Kahn,” she hissed.

The reality that she, despite being Edenian—royalty, no less—couldn’t read her own native language frustrated and angered her. Thanks to Kahn’s efforts, she knew almost nothing of her home realm’s culture or history. If only her mother could’ve taught her …

_Mélie_.

A memory came to her. A foggy, distant memory that could’ve been a dream. She remembered Sindel smiling and looking happy despite her blank eyes and dark markings—a Sindel she wished had been true. She was teaching her how to speak and read their native tongue. One of the first words she learned was “home.”

“Mell- _ee_ -ay,” her mother had said, her voice gentle and warm. “It’s home. Family.”

It had to have been a dream. But it felt real, and Kitana was certain there were other words she learned. Earthrealm was certainly one of them. She searched the shelves, hoping to find something that seemed familiar. Anything she could recognize.

“ _Sekemenai_.”

The word came to her. She might have mispronounced or remembered it inaccurately, but she was sure that was the Edenian term for Earthrealm, and there was indeed a case labeled with that word.

Opening it, she found a keystone marked with two circles touching. Like the others, the case contained more runes that looked familiar. One was a small rectangle marked with stripes and a star, and she recognized it as the flag Sonya Blade and Jax wore on their uniforms. Turning to the control pot, she understood the keystone opened the portal and the combination markings decided where on Earthrealm the portal would lead to. The flag rune would take them to the Special Forces, but she found another that resembled a lightning bolt—Raiden, no doubt.

Placing the keystone into the stone slot and setting the combination to the Sky Temple, she pulled on the levers and the portal burst open with a loud crack like thunder and flash of light. Kitana felt the air come alive with electricity, and a gentle hum came from the opening in time and space.

“Mileena!” she called out. “I think I got it! Let’s—”

“Kitana.”

She drew her fans on reflex, expecting Hotaru or one of his fellow Seidans to appear. But instead it was a familiar face that brought relief.

“Jade! What are you doing here?”

“Everyone’s looking for you and Mileena now,” she said, coming forward. “The Seidan Guard found those men you killed. They were still organizing when I left, but I guessed if you went anywhere, it’d be Earthrealm.”

“I’m not surprised,” she said. “I’m glad you’re here though. You won’t believe what’s happening. I’m not even sure how to explain it …”

“Kitana, it’s okay. Just come back to the palace.”

“No, no, you don’t understand. You see, Mileena and I, we—”

“Kitana, I do understand. Come back to the palace.”

“I know you all think this is because of my coma, but I’m telling you I—”

“ _Kitana_! I know!” She paused to let that sink in before repeating: “I know.”

Kitana stared at her and felt the cold prickle of dread in the pit of her stomach. “You,” she said. “You mean you remember …?”

Jade sighed and nodded. “For the most part. It fades more and more every day. I told you your memories would come if you didn’t fight them. If you just accepted this, then—”

“Like a dream,” she said, remembering how Mileena described it. “In the moment, you don’t question where you are or where you’ve been. It just makes sense.” She shook her head and tried to maintain her composure. “Jade, please … not you.”

“Not me what?”

“We have to stop this,” she said. “This is wrong, you must see that.”

“Why though? We have everything we ever wanted. Everything we ever dreamed. Why shouldn’t we accept it? Why is that wrong?”

“It’s a lie! We don’t know who’s behind this or why they’ve done it! And the Seidan Guard … they were sent here to make sure we fall in line!”

“Then make them leave,” Jade said. “Have your father tell them to go. He’ll listen to you.”

“No, Jade. We can’t let this go on. We have to—”

“Why are you being so selfish?!”

Time seemed to stop for a moment. Even with the hum of the portal, Jade’s voice echoed through the chamber. She shut her eyes and took a breath, leaving Kitana in stunned silence.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you.” She took another breath and continued, “Kitana, I just … I understand. I do. Shao Kahn lied to you—to us—our whole lives, and I understand why you would expect the worst out of something like this. But really think about what you’re looking for. You have your home. You have your parents the way you wish them to be. You have Liu Kang. You have peace. Do you really want to go back to the way things were?”

She shut her eyes and cringed, and Kitana saw she was holding back tears.

“It wasn’t right, what happened to us,” she said. “I remember the Sea of Blood. We were supposed to win that battle.”

“Jade, I—”

“No, no,” she interrupted. “I know how it sounds, and I don’t know how I know, but I … I _feel_ it in my heart. We _won_ that battle, and someone or something _took it from us_!”

Kitana could only stare at her, dumbfounded. Did she think Kronika manipulated time to make it so they lost? Or something else? The very idea chilled her blood. Had they prevailed, only for someone to alter time and make it so their siege was sabotaged?

“We have a chance now,” Jade said, her voice shaking. “We can be happy. You have everything you’ve ever wanted. And I … I have Kotal back. I have my parents back! My mother and father! I can know them finally!” She took Kitana’s hands, and the hopeful joy in her eyes was enough to break her heart. “I have a brother, Kitana! Can you believe it? I have my family now!

“Kitana,” she continued. “I’ve been by your side for so long … I ask for so little, but I’m asking you now …” She shook her head and knelt. “I’m _begging_ you … please, let this go. Come back to the palace. It’s not too late. Just accept this.”

Kitana felt as though she would burst out of her skin. Her heart ached, and her stomach tumbled. She didn’t know what to say or do. Could she really just let this go on? Walk away and accept this world as truth? For Jade, if no other reason?

“I don’t care who’s responsible. I don’t care why. We deserve this. We deserve to win for once. We’ve earned it.” Jade looked at her with shiny, wet eyes. “Haven’t we?”

She tried to speak, but no words would come—all stuck in her throat. She had no answer. The thought of breaking Jade’s heart left her frozen.

Before she could respond, she looked up and saw Mileena approaching Jade from behind. “Mileena!” she said. “Wait! Don’t—”

Too late. She cracked Jade over the head with the butt of her sai. Jade crumbled to the floor at their feet unconscious, leaving Kitana to glare at her “sister” in fury.

“Why did you do that?!”

“Relax,” Mileena said. “I’m not going to hurt her. At least this way you can put the blame on me.”

“What do you mean by that?” she asked as she checked on Jade to make sure there was no significant damage.

“We both know it would’ve come to this,” Mileena said, sheathing her weapon. “You were never going to just ‘accept’ this. That’s just who you are.” She sighed, sounding more like a groan. “Let’s move, before more guards show up.”

She entered the portal with a flash, leaving Kitana to kneel beside Jade. She caressed her hair, and felt ill. She’d endured and feared so much betrayal and lies, and now, in a wretched turn of fate, she felt she’d betrayed her one true friend.

“Please forgive me, Jade,” she said before entering the portal. “Please forgive me.”

**End of Chapter VII**


	8. Gathering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone's going to the Sky Temple.

Shang Tsung always hated Raiden’s Sky Temple. The towering structure stood over a thousand feet tall atop a lone, humble peak and could be seen for miles in almost every direction. Once travelers were out of the thick woods, one needed only to look to the sky and follow the beacon in the clouds. He sneered at the sight of it.

He understood, given Raiden’s status as the God of Thunder and Lightning, why he would have his temple reach into the clouds. But a sensible being would build a simple shrine atop the highest mountain. Not the garish and ostentatious monstrosity of countless floors—most of which were probably never used by anyone for anything.

It was an imposing structure, he granted it that. Although Raiden was a benevolent god who served as Earthrealm’s Guardian, even Tsung wouldn’t deny there was something foreboding about the massive tower. It stood like a sleeping beast, watching them approach and seeming like it could crush them at a moment’s notice.

Given his history with the Thunder God, and still bound in chains, he felt like he was being marched to his doom.

“We’re almost there,” he heard Scorpion whisper to Sareena. “Just hang on.”

The demon was cradled in his arms and already looked dead. She weakly opened her eyes and offered a slight smile. Her complexion was ashen, and the wound in her stomach resembled an ink stain with sickly tendrils stretching all over her body. To look at her, one would be forgiven if they thought she’d disintegrate into mulch.

The ninja’s dedication to her was amusing. But then Tsung knew from the moment he first laid eyes on Scorpion that despite his grim and hellish persona, the ninja was nothing if not a romantic. The spectre may present as a selfish loner, but it’s no surprise a man who devoted his existence to the memory of his wife and child would become equally protective of the poor demon with a pretty face.

_Of course_ , he thought. _She apparently gained the Lin Kuei ninja’s sympathy as well. The girl must just have that effect on people_.

He didn’t care whether she lived or died, but his healing her was the best chance he had of getting free of his bonds. Then again, he would lie if he said the prospect of Raiden refusing to help her—and the conflict it would cause with Scorpion—didn’t fill him with relish. Any opportunity to unmask the Thunder God as a hypocrite and blithering fool was one to be treasured.

They reached the entrance just before dusk. The weather was overcast and windy, but otherwise quiet. The massive doors were emblazoned with gold dragons and lions, and next to them was a large, shining gong with a hammer left in front of it—used to alert Raiden or anyone else of visitors.

“Ermac,” Havik said. “Can you open it?”

Ermac nodded and stepped forward. He held his hand up and green energy radiated from his body. The doors rumbled and opened with a heavy creek that sounded like a growling animal.

The main hall was as hideous as Tsung remembered it—empty and dim with hundreds of unlit candles lining the walls, and a thick layer of dust coating everything in sight. In the center stood a bronze shrine depicting an ugly beast wielding drums. At the end of the hall was a metallic device with chain links and pulleys that reached into the upper levels of the tower.

“Ah, excellent,” Havik said upon seeing it. “I feared we’d have to actually climb the stairs.”

“Should we not have rang the gong?” Scorpion asked. “Let Raiden know we’re here?”

“We do not sense his presence,” Ermac said as he used his power to shut the door. “Nor Fujin. The gods are elsewhere for the moment.”

“The story of Earthrealm in a single sentence,” Tsung muttered.

“Let’s adjourn to the higher levels,” Havik said, stepping on to the lift. “We can wait for the Thunder God there and perhaps find something to ease the lady’s pain.”

Scorpion said nothing and joined the others on the lift, but Tsung sensed doubt from him. Havik shut the gate and pulled the lever on the side. There was a lurch, and the chains and pulley came to life, carrying them up the many levels of the Sky Temple.

The lift moved slow and swayed the entire time. Tsung didn’t fear heights, but even he felt unsettled by the rickety contraption that seemed as ancient as the rest of the temple. Scorpion looked equally uncomfortably, though Havik and Ermac both appeared calm. He supposed if the lift did stall or collapse, Ermac could use his power to keep them from falling.

_Though likely not me_ , he noted with some concern.

Luckily, it didn’t come to that. They reached the top level—or close to it—and dismounted into an elegant chamber with a long, polished table. More statues, murals and shrines were visible in the surrounding rooms. The wind outside was loud, and inside felt stifling and thick. Even without the Thunder God’s presence, there was electricity in the air.

Havik immediately begam rummaging through whatever books or scrolls he could find. Ermac checked out the window, while Scorpion, unable to find a place more comfortable, laid Sareena on the table.

Tsung looked around in disgust, knowing this was where Raiden adjourned to rest, meditate, and sometimes train his chosen warriors. Memories of the last time he was here came to him, and with them, the desire to desecrate the shrines, destroy the statues, and burn the rest. He hated this place and wanted to be far from it.

Sareena moaned and held her stomach, but was otherwise motionless. Scorpion checked on her and said to Ermac, “She fading. She doesn’t have much time. Could there be anything up here for her?”

“There isn’t,” Tsung said. “Why would Raiden have anything that would help a demon in his temple? Even if there was, who knows where it’s kept?” Scowling, his spared a glance at Ermac and continued, “Let me free, and I’ll save the demon. She needs dark sorcery.”

“You’re not touching her,” Scorpion said.

“Then you condemn her,” he replied.

“Raiden will help.”

“Will he? You’re so sure of that.” He scoffed and spat on the floor. “Why would Earthrealm’s great Thunder God, leader of the Forces of Light, guardian of all that is good, spare a single thought to some lowly demon trash from the Netherealm? One who served Quan Chi no less.”

“She turned on him,” Scorpion said, barely containing his anger. “Sub-Zero trusts her. She wants to help.”

“And that means nothing to Raiden,” he hissed. “Do you know what will happen if she dies? If she’s lucky, she’ll simply cease to exist—for it’s a mystery even to us whether we demons truly have souls of our own.”

“That’s enough,” Ermac said.

“The alternative?” he continued. “For a traitor like her? She’ll be damned to the 5th Plane of the Netherealm where—”

Without warning, an invisible force slammed him against the wall. In the blurred patch of dizziness that came with the blow, he was then dropped onto a wooden chair and the chains binding him unraveled and retied him to it.

Ermac came forward, his glowing eyes grim. “We said: that’s enough.”

Tsung regained his bearings and grumbled—more upset with himself than his foes. He should’ve known better than to throw taunts and dire warnings. It was beneath him. He was the snake, and he should’ve come at them with craft.

“You don’t trust me,” he said. “Yet you’re so quick to trust a Cleric of Chaos.”

“I don’t trust anyone,” Scorpion said.

“Good. Then perhaps you should ask if Havik really wishes to meet Raiden here.”

Scorpion hesitated. He looked into the other room where the Cleric was still looking through old books and scrolls. His eyes narrowed, and he no doubt thought back to Havik refusing to sound the gong at the entrance.

He turned to Ermac and said, “Neither of you came here to see Raiden, did you?”

Ermac sighed. “Havik believes he can find the secret of Onaga’s power here. A concern—and one that we share—is that Raiden might not be the help we need him to be.”

“You think Raiden would actually align with the Dragon King?”

“Not knowingly. But he may see this peace as worth defending.”

“There,” said Tsung. “See. They don’t care about the demon either. Your quest to heal her is incidental. If you truly wish to save this creature, it is my help you need.”

A scowl came to Scorpion’s face, which pleased him. Before the ninja could answer, however, Havik joined them from the other room. “Not up here,” the Cleric said, throwing crumpled scrolls over his shoulder. “But there is a library in this place. I shall go down there. Keep an eye on the sorcerer, Ermac.”

He stepped onto the lift, and just as he was about to close the gate, Scorpion did as well. “I’ll join you.”

* * *

The rickety lift descended with another awkward jump. As the levels went past them, Havik seemed at ease and might have even begun whistling if he had lips. Scorpion watched him with his hand at his kunai. He knew Shang Tsung was only trying to sow distrust for his own purposes, but that didn’t mean he was wrong.

“What happens if Raiden doesn’t show?” he asked.

“Eh? Oh. I’m sure we’ll manage.”

His eyes narrowed, and he drew the kunai. When the lift stopped, he took the Cleric by the shoulder and pressed him against the railing with the blade at his throat. “Start talking.”

“About?”

“You’re not here to see Raiden,” he said. “You don’t even want him here.”

Havik seemed unintimidated and even a little irritated. “I’m sorry, but did I at any point suggest otherwise? I told you we were coming to the Sky Temple for information. You were the one seeking the Thunder God.”

He pressed the blade against his skin and drew a thin stream of blood. “Sareena is dying!”

“I wish no ill upon the demon. But if you think I’m going to help you summon Raiden here, you’re mistaken, ninja. Who knows the state of the Thunder God in this world Onaga’s conjured? Who knows whether he’ll believe our story and aid us, or deem us a threat and eliminate us? We are a motley crew of ne’er-do-wells, you must admit.

“I told you no lies,” he continued. “But if you must know, it was my hope to gain access to this place, find the information I require, and leave unnoticed. I wouldn’t trust Raiden under normal circumstances. I would trust him even less now.”

Scorpion growled and stepped away. As frustrated as he was, he couldn’t hold any blame against the Cleric. He had made no assurances, and neither had promised an alliance. “What can I do?” he asked. “She still needs help.”

“I overheard Shang Tsung,” Havik said, brushing himself off. “You could let him heal her.”

“You expect me to trust him?”

“Trust is in short supply, Scorpion. What makes you think any of us trust you?”

He hesitated.

“Two demons, Ermac, myself,” Havik continued. “We still exist here because we’re unnatural. But what of you? Onaga made you Hanzo Hasashi again—granted you your family and clan. Yet you remember the old world and knew to believe Sareena. How?”

He tried to speak, but nothing would come, and a chill went through his blood. If the Dragon King remade reality, why did he remember the old world while no one else did? Why was he fed a story about food poisoning to explain his memories, while the likes of Sub-Zero, Smoke and Bi-Han questioned nothing?

“What are you accusing me of?” he asked.

“Nothing. Yet. I just find it curious you alone seem to have retained your memories despite being remade with all the rest. Perhaps you should ask yourself the same question.”

“I don’t know,” he said. “I have no answer for that.”

Another earthquake rumbled through the land. The tower began to sway, and both Scorpion and Havik quickly stepped off the lift in fear it would collapse. Though it didn’t, books fell from their shelves, statues toppled over, and from somewhere came the sound of something fragile shattering. When it subsided, an unsettling, eerie silence except for the creaking of the lift was all that remained.

“We have greater concerns,” Havik said. “Listen, if you will not allow Shang Tsung to heal Sareena, perhaps the library may have something you can use.”

He turned and headed into the rows of books before them. Scorpion did the same, hoping to find something to help Sareena, but his thoughts were plagued with questions. Why did retain his memories? If he was unlike Havik, Sareena, Ermac and Shang Tsung, what set him apart from everyone else?

And was he the only one?

* * *

Traveling through portals is never pleasant. One gets used to it if done often enough, but it’s a wretched experience. Kitana likened it to walking through a field of burning lightning and coming out into bitter cold. It would always pass quickly, but there were times she felt stepping through a portal to another realm shaved at least a year off her life.

_Luckily_ , she thought, rubbing her arms. _I have plenty to spare_.

She and Mileena emerged into Earthrealm on a narrow pathway surrounded by some woods and mountains. The Sky Temple, with its absurd size, was the first thing to be seen in the distance, and she was amused to find it was dusk on Earth where they left Edenia in early dawn.

“Is that really where Raiden lives?” Mileena asked.

“I wouldn’t say he lives there,” she replied. “But I understand that is where he meditates and trains.”

“I’d make a comment about compensating for something, but I’m better than that.”

They began following the path that led to the Sky Temple. The overcast sky darkened, but there was no thunder to be heard. Kitana hoped Raiden was in and would have answers. And hopefully then, he would contact their allies. With everything that was happening, the prospect of seeing Liu and the others again offered some comfort.

But her mind returned to Jade, and guilt and dread hit her stomach. She kept seeing the desperate hope in Jade’s eyes and wondered if she’d made a terrible mistake. Suppose it all went wrong, would she ever forgive her? But more than that were the other questions.

What if the others were like her—aware of what was happening and complacent? What if it turned out Raiden was in league with this Dragon King? Or even Liu? Or what if she was just wrong about the whole thing? What if the Dragon King was a benevolent figure giving them what they desired? And what if her resistance only made things worse?

Jade had her family back. Edenia was restored, and the realms were at peace. Her Earthrealm allies likely had their own wishes made true. Was she willing to deny them of all that because she couldn’t accept a good thing? Was Jade right, and she was just being selfish? Again, the question came to her: was a beautiful lie better than the ugly truth?

_You see something broken, and you have to fix it_ , her father said. But what if this time it wasn’t the world that was broken—just her because she couldn’t accept it? What if in trying fix this, she only ruined it for herself and her loved ones?

“Mileena,” she said. “I … I owe you an apology.”

Mileena stopped in her tracks. She stared at Kitana a moment and then looked around like she expected an ambush or trick. “You what?”

“Your face and … your memories. I think … maybe I should’ve let you be.”

She said nothing. It seemed she couldn’t decide whether to resent Kitana’s pity or bask in the petty glow of her taking the blame for something. For as long as she hated her “sister” … as much as she blamed her for everything … having finally gotten an apology, Mileena seemed too stunned to respond.

“You didn’t,” she stammered. “I’m not …” She fidgeted and shifted her weight. “Save your apologies. I told you already: I’m not Edenian. I don’t belong there.”

“You looked happy at the ball,” Kitana said. “I’ve never seen you like that. If I took that away from you … I’m sorry. I truly am.”

Again, she looked off balance—as if the apology did more damage to her than a blow to the head. Standing there, trying to find words, Mileena looked like her armor fell off.

“Okay, what is with you?” she asked. “You pour your heart to me last night and … and now this. What are trying to do?”

“I’m not trying to do anything. I guess … with everything that’s happened recently, I’ve been reconsidering things I’ve taken for granted.”

“Well, stop it,” she snapped. “I don’t like it.”

There was a flash, following by rumbling, and for a moment Kitana thought it was the thunder and lightning of Raiden. But she turned and saw the portal behind them reopened. Without needing to tell Mileena, they both took cover off the road in the neighboring woods and watched as figures emerged.

She expected to see a legion of Seidan Guard, but instead found a growing number of four-armed warriors thick with muscle appear. “Shokan?!”

“Looks like it,” Mileena said. “I see ten already and more are coming. And … Reptile?”

Kitana watched in shock as more Shokan came through the portal. They were indeed accompanied by Reptile and what appeared to be more of his kind. When the portal closed, she counted twenty Shokan, a half dozen Zaterrans, and a woman in white she didn’t recognize.

“This is a raiding party,” she said. “They came for a fight.”

She and Mileena looked at one another. They then looked toward the Sky Temple, and neither needed to speak.

Wasting no time, they both ran for the temple as fast as they could.

* * *

“ _I knew it_!”

Scorpion had no luck finding anything that could help Sareena. He found a section of the library that dealt with medicine and healing but nothing he thought would be beneficial to her. Although he barely scratched the surface of Raiden’s library, he doubted he would find any texts dealing with demon health even if he had time to search every book.

He heard Havik call out from the other side of the room and went to him. What the Cleric had was less a book and more a box holding ancient scrolls. The paper was so dry and rotted, he wouldn’t have been surprised if they burst into dust at the slightest touch.

“What is it?”

“I once encountered a man,” Havik said, still looking through the scrolls. “In another time. He claimed to be on a quest—seeking powerful relics. I thought little of it then, but once I discovered the Dragon King’s return, I realized they were connected.”

He showed Scorpion the scroll. The text was barely legible, but of note were six symbols or runes arranged in a circle with a drawing of what appeared to be Shinnok’s Amulet in the center.

“The Kamidogu.”

“I thought those were magic daggers,” Scorpion said.

“As did I,” he replied. “But whether due to Kronika’s meddling or perhaps even Onaga covering his tracks, those daggers were false Kamidogu. The real thing … they were something much more.”

“Which is?”

“These scrolls speak of a time long ago. When there was nothing but the Elder Gods and darkness. The Gods crafted a device which they used to forge reality. Afterward, it was split into six pieces and hidden on one realm apiece—forgotten to time and history, remembered only as relics.

“But Onaga knew what they were,” he continued. “He’s been planning this for much longer than any of us. It’s as I feared … while all were occupied with Shao Kahn’s invasion, Shinnok’s return and Kronika, no one thought to stop the Dragon King’s resurrection. And no matter how much the timeline’s been rewritten, his goal has always remained the same. He’s acquired the Kamidogu, and we are living in the result.”

Scorpion rubbed his neck. He felt hot, and his back ached, but this news chilled his blood. In the abstract, the idea of someone actually remaking the world was daunting and even absurd. But to hear how Onaga might have done it—and right under everyone’s noses—made it feel real. This ancient creature had supplanted gods and Titans and wielded a weapon that could change reality itself.

“So what now?”

“Shinnok’s Amulet is the key,” Havik said. “That’s the trigger that activates the Kamidogu. If we can get to it, we may have a chance.”

“Great. And how are we supposed to do that?”

Before Havik could reply, a gong sounded in the distance. It was repeated and even frantic, and he could already guess it was coming from the entrance. They went to the window and looked down, but from their height, only say a blurred blue and purple dot. Whoever it was, they were desperate to get in.

“Ah,” Havik said, finding a viewing scope. Upon looking down out the window, he added, “Why, it’s Princess Kitana and her clone.”

“What could they be doing here?”

“I can make a guess, but …” Havik trailed off as he looked up. “Oh, bother.”

Scorpion snatched the scope from his hand and looked into the distance. Marching up the pathway from the portal was a battalion of Shokan warriors, all armed and ready for battle. His assessment was blunter:

“Shit.”

**End of Chapter VIII**


	9. Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A glimpse at the lives of other heroes in the new world.

“Have you given any thought to what we talked about last night?”

Johnny Cage stirred his Bloody Mary with the stalk of celery, deliberately not looking Sonya in the eye as he asked the question. A warm and dry breeze blew through the kitchen despite his home being so close to the beach. The glasses of wine from last night had left him with a slight headache, and it was too early for one of her trademark death-glares.

When he finally looked at her, Sonya was staring at him in silence. She sipped her coffee—black, as always—and didn’t look angry or even annoyed. Just tired. “Can we not do this now, Johnny? It’s too early.”

“And you’re leaving soon,” he said. “These weekends are too damn short.”

“They’re the best I can do. You know the drill: I have to report back to base. I’m cutting it tight as it is.”

He let out an exaggerated groan that he punctuated with a childish pout. “Don’t you and Jax practically run things now anyway? He can’t cut you some slack?”

“Special Forces isn’t Hollywood, jerk,” she said, smirking. “I don’t get special treatment for being good at my job.”

“Then it’s a shit job. You guys need a union.”

She rolled her eyes and finished her coffee. The television echoed from the living room, where Cassie was watching cartoons and eating breakfast. At seven years old, she already looked so much like her mother. Johnny’s sister once said she was Sonya’s Mini-Me, and every day she was living up to that label.

He knew Sonya loved being a part of the Special Forces, and he’d never take that from her. But she was missing their daughter’s childhood. Even with his shooting schedule, Johnny tried to remain a part of Cassie’s life, and he knew Sonya would regret it if she missed out.

“Look,” she said. “I do wish I was more available. And Jax always tells me how happier he is now that he’s transferred to inter-realm diplomatic affairs. Safer, he sees Vera and Jacqui more … all that.

“But that’s not me,” she continued. “I need to be out there, facing something. I know the realms are at peace, and the Black and Red Dragon are long gone, but … I’m a fighter, Johnny. Always have been.”

“I know,” he said, giving her a kiss. “It’s one of the things I love about you. And hey, Christ knows the tabloids love that I’m married to some bad-ass Army super-woman. All I’m saying is I think there are other things out there that’ll let you still be a fighter and spend more time with Cassie. And me. Mostly me.”

She chuckled and rolled her eyes again. “Such as?”

“Well, throwing this out there …” He cleared his throat and tried to balance his tone between genuine and joking. “I know people. I could make some calls. You ever think about … acting?”

He held his breath as Sonya’s eyed widened. She stared at him in silence, as if waiting for some follow-up or punchline. When it became clear he was being serious, she started laughing.

“You’re kidding, right?” she asked. “Me? An actress?”

She laughed again, but there was something Johnny picked up on. It wasn’t completely dismissive. He could tell there was a part of her—even just a small part—that was flattered. And that, he knew, was an opening.

“Why not?” he said. “You’ve got the look. You can fight. You could be a star. Trust me.”

“Oh, piss off. I can’t act.”

“Be a stunt-woman. That’s how I got my start. I was one of the nameless goons who was there to get his ass kicked. Fast forward a few years, I’m one of the top-grossing stars in the world and an freakin’ Oscar winner!”

She gave a gentle push and turned her attention to her duffel bag. While checking on her things, Cassie entered the kitchen to put her plate in the sink.

“Say, Cass,” she said. “What do you think? Could you see me as the next big movie star like your father?”

Cassie looked her up and down and scrunched her nose as she thought it over. She then shook her head and said, “MMA.” She paused. “No … WWE.”

Johnny threw his arms up in triumph. “Boom!”

Sonya tried without success to scowl in disapproval. She zipped up her bag and grumbled, “I hate the both of you.”

From outside came a car’s horn, signaling her ride had arrived. Before she could say goodbye, Cassie rushed to her and wrapped her tiny arms around her waist. Even if their daughter had already inherited both of their sarcastic demeanors, she truly did love her mother dearly and never wanted to see her go.

“I won’t be gone long,” Sonya said. “I’ll keep in touch and be back by your birthday.”

The words stuck in her mouth like she was chewing peanut-butter. She tried to force a comforting smile, but it only highlighted how unhappy she was to say that. She was right about one thing, Johnny thought. She was no actress.

He followed her outside where her twin brother, Daniel, was waiting in his truck. “Morning, John!” he called out. “I saw _Ninja Mime 5_ last night. It sucked!”

“Good to see you, too, Dan,” he replied with a middle finger. “And it’s the highest grossing one yet!”

Sonya loaded her bag into the car and turned to him. “Look, Johnny,” she said. “I do want to spend more time with you and Cassie. And, yeah, the Special Forces can get along fine without me. It’s just …”

She trailed off, and a strange look came to her. Her eyes were distant, and she seemed as though someone had walked over her grave. In all the years he’d known Sonya Blade, he had never seen her like that. She actually looked afraid.

“I just feel like there’s something I’m missing. Something important.”

A chill went through his blood, and an image from the nightmare he had last night came to him. But he shook it off and said, “Listen, real talk: I know you love your job, and I don’t want you to think I’m pressuring you. I really do think you’d be happier with something … more flexible.”

“I know. I do. It’s just—”

“And I’m not ashamed to admit,” he cut in. “The idea of you wrastlin’ women in the WWE is really freaking hot.”

She gave him a light jab in the chest and laughed. “Screw you,” she said, getting into the car. “Besides, I’d be wrestling men and you know it.”

“Still hot.”

She gave a final wave to him and Cassie as they drove off. Watching them go, Johnny felt confident he and Sonya would work something out that would make them all happy. He turned to his daughter and suggested they get ice cream.

The sun shined, and the day was clear. He was a critically acclaimed movie star and world-renowned martial artist with an amazing wife and daughter. He already forgotten that strange dream about burning cities, bug-women, and a Centaur killing him. Everything was as it should be.

All was well.

* * *

Liu Kang practiced his katas, when the sound of thunder rolled through the Wu Shi Academy with a flash of lightning. He didn’t let it distract him, keeping his mind and spirit focused on his martial arts as a proper warrior should. If it was who he thought, he would make his presence known in his own time.

_Or_ _it_ _really could just be about to rain_.

“Liu Kang.”

Lord Raiden’s voice, even when kept low, always had a booming authority to it. He finished his exercise and turned to see the Thunder God in his most common human form of white and blue garb and humble rice-picker’s hat. His face was stern as ever, and electricity pulsed from his glowing eyes.

“Master Raiden,” Liu said with a bow. “What may I do for you this evening?”

Raiden’s eyes narrowed, and he seemed ready to throw a punch. But a smile came, and he chuckled as he patted Liu on the shoulder. “No need for such formality, my boy,” he said. “How was your visit to Edenia the other day?”

“Beautiful,” he replied as they left the lei tai platform. Fellow monks bowed to the respective Thunder God and Mortal Kombat Champion as they passed. “To tell the truth, it was almost overwhelming. I never pictured myself one for great balls and royal palaces.”

“Neither did your predecessor. Of course, he wasn’t engaged to the Princess.”

Liu nodded, and after all this time, he still wasn’t used to hearing those words. There were times even he thought it surreal that he should wed the Princess of another realm. Aside from the vast difference in age, it was unheard of for the Champion of one realm to marry someone from another. It sounded like a fairy tale or dream.

“Tell me,” Raiden said. “How is the Lady? I understand she’s finally recovered from her coma.”

“She seemed fine,” he replied. “Though her memories are … she apparently suffered terrible visions in her sleep. At the ball, she was … I’ve never seen her like that.”

“That’s unfortunate. But fear not, Liu Kang. It’ll pass in time.”

Another tremor shook the Academy. All around them, monks kept their balance and made sure nothing fell over. It wasn’t the first or only to have plagued the land, and though it ended quickly, they were becoming a cause for concern.

“Which reminds me,” Raiden said once the shaking stopped. “I came to tell you I intend to pay a visit to Ohana, the Earth God, and see what he knows of these damned quakes.”

“I hope it’s nothing serious.”

“As do I,” Raiden said. “To be honest, I’ve been uneasy myself lately. These quakes, some demon attacked the Lin Kuei …”

“I heard about that. Very odd.”

His thoughts returned to Kitana and the awful dread that seemed to haunt her throughout the ball. He didn’t see how her coma and visions could be related to earthquakes or a loose demon, but he couldn’t deny it was unnerving her insistence something was wrong should be followed by such ominous events.

He was about to speak, when a voice called out: “I thought I might find you here, Thunder God.” The Shaolin monk came forward wearing appropriately humble garb. He greeted the two with a bow, which they returned in respect. “Did you mean to come and go without my knowledge?”

“I thought to spare you, old friend,” Raiden said, smiling. “I’d think with your days as Champion over, you were glad to be rid of me.”

The Great Kung Lao laughed and shook his hand. The wrinkles forming in the corners of his eyes gave him a rugged appearance along with the new streak of gray hair in his beard. It had only been a few years since he lost his title to Liu Kang in the tournament—after reigning undefeated for over five hundred—but already his returned mortality was apparent.

“Are you sick of him yet, Liu?” he asked. “I sometimes wondered if our Thunder God didn’t go looking for trouble out of boredom.”

“Do not begrudge me for taking my duties seriously, Kung Lao,” Raiden said. “At any rate, I shall take my leave. Take care, my friends.”

With that, the Thunder God disappeared in a flash of lightning. Although Raiden had been a part of Liu’s life for much of it, it was still something he needed to get used to. As Champion, he was Earthrealm’s chief defender now—soon to be a Prince of Edenia as well. It was almost overwhelming for a young Shaolin monk who only wished to be like his hero.

“You all right, my boy?” Kung Lao asked. “What ill news is Raiden hounding you with now?”

“It’s nothing,” he said. “I’m more worried about Kitana to be honest.”

“How is the Princess? Feels like ages since I’ve last seen her.”

“I was just telling Raiden. Her memories are … she’s troubled. She was convinced something terrible was going to happen or already happened.”

“I understand,” Lao said, nodding. “Kitana’s always been strong, but I found she tends to take things too seriously. Not unlike Raiden. She’ll feel better when she sees you again.”

Liu considered that, and his mind felt at ease. “On a lighter subject,” he said. “Have you spoken with your descendant? Will he be joining us tomorrow?”

“He declined. My namesake seems content meditating with his fellow White Lotus. Not even an interest in fishing.”

Liu chuckled. The younger Kung Lao was a peculiar man. Solitary and quiet—sure to be an impressive martial artist, yet no interest in participating in the Mortal Kombat tournament or being Champion. It was shame, he felt. He would’ve loved to test his skills against the descendant of the Great Kung Lao.

“Bo’ Rai Cho said he’ll join,” the elder Lao continued. “But knowing him, he’ll just guzzle wine until he falls asleep. What about your brother?”

“Chow said he’ll come.”

“In that case, I think I’ll turn in. We have an early morning ahead.” As he finished speaking, another quick tremor rumbled. “Assuming those damned quakes don’t keep me up.”

Liu Kang headed to his chamber to meditate before calling it a night himself. Kung Lao and Raiden were likely right about Kitana’s visions. He knew she was a capable warrior in her own right—possibly one of the best if not the best in her realm—but he could never deny the feeling of protectiveness he had around her. If something troubled her, it was his instinct to find it and stop it.

The earthquakes and her visions seemed grave, but it was probably because any shadow seemed especially dark on a bright day. He enjoyed a peaceful life with his mentors and family. He was engaged to wed the most beautiful, kindest and bravest woman he’d ever met—unusual for a Shaolin monk.

If there was danger lurking out there, he would gladly meet it. For he was Champion of Mortal Kombat—a tournament of honor where, despite its cryptic name, no one died. He was a humble man who’d been blessed with all he could hope for. Everything was as it should be.

All was well.

* * *

“Have you heard from Grandmaster Hasashi since it happened?”

Night fell on the Lin Kuei Temple. Outside, the moon bathed the courtyard in cold, blue light. Wind that gave even Sub-Zero a chill whipped through the land, but he found it comforting. He watched the snow come alive around him and swirl like a small, white tornado.

“No,” he replied. “The Shirai Ryu is on high alert, but their Grandmaster hasn’t been seen. I suspect he’s with the demon and trying to learn what he can from her. I just hope he knows what he’s doing.” 

“Hanzo Hasashi is many things. Gullible is not usually among them.” 

She waved her hands and directed the swirling snow to gather in front of her. Her gestures were elegant and soft, like a conductor orchestrating a soothing symphony Kuai Liang could almost hear in his head. He always enjoyed watching her work.

“I suppose I should just be grateful Frost didn’t trigger a war,” he said. “What was she thinking pulling a stunt like that?” 

“Frost may be a child of ice as we are,” she said. “But it’s fire that burns in her belly.”

“I know. I sometimes wonder if she wouldn’t be a better fit with the Shirai Ryu.”

She turned to him with sympathetic eyes. “Don’t be too hard on her. You know she only wishes for your approval.”

“I do,” he said, sighing. “But I’d be more approving if she showed more caution and insight. It disturbs me she so easily allowed herself to get swept up in Ashrah’s holy crusade.”

Part of him regretted almost getting swept up himself. He should’ve shown more care in taking the word of a strange woman he’d never met before. A demon Sareena may be, how was he to know Ashrah wasn’t treacherous in her own right? Her zeal nearly cost Hanzo his family and could’ve ended the truce between the clans.

“I honestly hope we’ve seen the last of Ashrah,” he said. “I don’t trust her. I can’t place it, but there’s something about that whole thing that troubles me.” 

“Understandable.” 

“Oh?” 

“Her talk of sacred tasks and divine missions,” she said, forming the gathered snow into a tall, winged shape. “Coupled with her pristine, white attire. Someone who so blatantly presents themself as righteous and pure arouses suspicion. It’s natural you assume there’s something hidden beneath it.” 

“Father did always say your enemy will come at you with a smile. But it’s not just Ashrah. There was something about the demon. Something … familiar.” 

“You think you’ve seen her before?” 

“No,” he said but replayed their encounter in his mind. Had they met? There was something about her. Something in her eyes. “To be honest—and I know how this will sound—she reminded me a little of you.” 

She turned to him. Her black hair was marked with streaks of blue, which made her ivory skin seem even whiter. No, they didn’t really resemble one another, but there was something intangible.

“I’m intrigued,” she said. “If you manage to contact Scorpion, you should allow her a chance to speak. Maybe Ashrah has it wrong and she isn’t as she appears.” She returned her attention to the snow and added, “I would certainly like to meet her.”

“I don’t know about that.”

“I’m not inexperienced with demons,” she said. “I helped Smoke control the enenra within him, did I not? Maybe I can make an ally of this Sareena.”

“This is a little different. I think Bi-Han feels the same about the demon as I do. He’s kept it to himself, but she worries him—maybe even more than me.”

“Did you ask him?”

He had tried when he returned from Hasashi’s home. Bi-Han refused to say why Sareena vexed him, but Kuai Liang sensed something was wrong. His brother confined himself to his chamber and just sat in the dark to brood. There was something about seeing Bi-Han shrouded in shadow that chilled his heart.

“He won’t speak of it.”

“Typical,” she said. “For better or worse, Bi-Han has always gone his own way. I sometimes think it’s funny he and Scorpion don’t get along. They can be so alike.” 

“Some look in a mirror and hate their reflection.”

With one final wave of her hands, the snow sculpture was complete. Sub-Zero was surprised to see it was a fearsome looking creature that resembled a cross between a man and a dragon. It was thick with muscle, and great horns grew from its head. It stood in a strong, conquering pose like a powerful warlord.

“Quite a beast you’ve made,” he said. “Not your usual style.”

“I know,” she said. “I saw it in a dream and needed to get it out. It frightened me.” 

He stared at the dragon-man she made. Her snow and ice sculptures were usually of more gentle things. Something about this made him uncomfortable. He didn’t know why, but the sight of it filled him with dread. “Seems everyone is on edge lately,” he said. “Earthquakes, this demon …” 

“I’d heard Princess Kitana was uneasy at the ball. I imagine she would be after her coma, but …”

She trailed off, and a look of worry came to Xue Tianshi’s eyes. It was a rare thing to see for Sub-Zero, as his sister was usually so serene and calm. Ordinarily, he looked to her as a source of stability.

She shook her head, and with a wave of her hand, the dragon-man sculpture disintegrated into the wind. “I wonder if we shouldn’t be on our guard ourselves, brother,” she said. “I pray it’s nothing, but I feel something in the air.”

He nodded and said, “Come, sister. Let’s go back inside.”

Kuai Liang and Xue Tianshi went back into the Lin Kuei Temple. He was Grandmaster of the clan and respected by Raiden himself. He had his brother and sister. His friend and apprentice. Everything was as it should be.

All was well.

Wasn’t it?

**End of Chapter IX**


	10. Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Battle at the Sky Temple.

Shang Tsung almost pitied the demon.

She lay motionless on the table in front of him, her breathing reduced to quick gasps every few seconds. It sounded like she had the hiccups. The parts of her flesh that weren’t devolved to sickly shades of black and purple were gray like ash. When she finally died—which seemed to be coming any second—she would revert to her true form and probably melt into a putrid, viscous puss.

“She doesn’t have much longer,” he said. “I can still save her.”

“Then save her,” Ermac replied. “If you’re so invested in healing her, do it already.”

“Untie me.”

Ermac didn’t answer, only glaring at him with cold eyes and arms crossed.

“So, she dies then,” he said with a shrug.

He sighed and chafed against his chains. In the grand scheme of things, amidst the coming battle between Onaga and those who would oppose him, poor Sareena was deemed expendable. He doubted even Scorpion would pay her more than the minimum grief. She wouldn’t even have the chance to be let down by Raiden’s judgment.

He looked around and noted with disgust how little the Sky Temple had changed since he was last there—the only other time he’d been there. Down the hall was Raiden’s shrine where he first met his own judgment from the Thunder God. So long ago, and yet he remembered it with wretched clarity.

How different could the destinies of realms and men have been if the gods hadn’t condemned him? How much would history have changed if they allowed him to be Champion …

The faint sound of a gong echoed from outside. Likely due to some mysticism, it triggered the ringing of bells and chimes throughout the chamber, signaling someone was at the entrance. To some—Raiden he supposed—it might have seemed musical, but Tsung thought it an awful racket.

Ermac went to the window. “We have visitors. Can’t tell who they are from here, but …” He trailed off as he looked into the distance. “We’re under attack.”

“Oh, lovely,” he said. “Who has Onaga sent for us now?”

“Shokan. Perhaps others.”

He couldn’t say he was surprised to learn a race of half-human dragons would be loyal to the Dragon King—assuming they even knew and weren’t sent under false pretenses—but he thought it notable Onaga should send such a force just for them. And to siege Raiden’s Sky Temple as well.

_Are we measly few such a threat?_ he wondered. _Like summoning a war-hammer for a fly_.

“The doors won’t open from the outside,” Ermac said, still looking out the window. “Whoever’s down there will be killed, and the Shokan can keep us trapped up here until Raiden returns.”

“And won’t that be fun? I’m sure the Thunder God will be thrilled to find myself, you, a demon, and a Cleric of Chaos looting his temple.”

Ermac turned to him, his glowing eyes intense and piercing. Though silent, it was clear he was weighing his options. He didn’t want to abandon whoever was at the door to their deaths or allow the Shokan to move unchecked. But he also didn’t want to leave Tsung unguarded.

He clenched his fist, and the chains binding Tsung tightened. The chair he was tied to slid to the far wall, away from Sareena. “Consider, sorcerer,” Ermac said. “Whatever befalls the demon, it will not be us you answer to, but Scorpion.”

With that, his body glowed with green energy, and he levitated out the window. He gave the sorcerer a parting glare and dropped.

* * *

“Don’t tell me we came all this way just for Raiden to not even be here!”

Mileena pushed and pulled at the massive doors but couldn’t get them open. They appeared to be made from thick wood and steel, and looking at them, Kitana guessed they could only be opened by someone with greater strength than them or magic. She slammed the gong again and looked toward the Sky Temple’s apex, hoping for some sign they were heard.

The Shokan battalion approached. At the head of the troop was none other than Prince Goro himself. As big as his people were in general, he towered over all of them. The ground shook with his footsteps, and his massive frame appeared to be chiseled from stone.

Kitana looked to Mileena, and both knew it was too late to hide. With no choice, she threw the mallet aside and drew her fans. They went to head of the stairway outside the temple’s entrance and braced themselves for what was to come. A single four-armed, half-human dragon was deadly enough—she and Mileena were outnumbered twenty (at least) to two.

Goro held up his hand, signaling his men to halt. “Princess Kitana,” he said. “And Lady Mileena. You are to come with us.”

“On whose authority?”

“I am Prince of the Shokan,” he replied, irritated she would question him. “I think that should be authority enough. We have business here that needn’t concern you. Come peacefully, and you will be spared. Our master would rather you alive.”

“What master would that be?” she asked. “The Dragon King?”

“We needn’t be enemies, Princess. The Dragon King values loyalty and cooperation. He’s willing to forgive your transgressions if you surrender. Even yours, Lady Mileena. Your deformity can be undone, and you may be a princess again.”

She looked to Mileena, and for maybe the first time, couldn’t tell what she was thinking. For so long, her “sister” wanted her status—Shao Kahn’s approval, her rank, her legitimacy. But she’d convinced herself the way to achieve it was besting her in Mortal Kombat. Was it all the same, even if the Dragon King gave it her?

Would she really be surprised if she accepted? Jade accepted it. For all she knew, Raiden and her Earthrealm allies did as well. And after her mother’s betrayal, could anything really surprise her anymore?

Mileena turned to Goro and drew her sai. “I am no princess. I am Shao Kahn’s heir and rightful Kahnum of Outworld. I _take_ what I am owed.”

“You’re making a grave mistake, ladies,” Goro said. “Do the two of you really believe you can face us alone?”

“They’re not alone.”

Green light bathed the land, and a ninja in red and black lowered from the sky. He landed at the foot of the stairway, standing between them and Goro.

“We oppose your mad king, Prince!” Ermac said. “And unless you seek the destruction of all realms, you should fight alongside us!”

Kitana and Mileena exchanged looks, equally surprised Ermac would come to their defense. She looked toward the Sky Temple’s apex again, wondering what other random allies might be waiting.

“Bah! What do you know, freak?” Goro said. “The Dragon King has granted us what we all desire. You call him mad because his new world has no place for an abomination like yourself.”

“Your Dragon King will kill us all,” Ermac said. “It will come slowly, in seeming peace, or all at once in sudden cataclysm. But make no mistake: his reign ends in oblivion either way.”

“Enough of this,” he said. “Last chance, Kitana! Throw down you weapons and come willingly, and no harm will come to you. You have my word—on the honor of a Shokan.”

His words echoed in her mind, and a strange, foggy memory came to her—an image of herself fighting alongside Goro on an Outworld battlefield. In another time, they had been allies once against Shao Kahn. She considered him a friend … until he …

It was then she saw Sheeva standing among their ranks. At the sight of her, cold rage took hold. She had supported Sheeva’s claim as Queen of the Shokan. She brokered peace with them and saw her as an ally. They united Outworld.

_She helped Shang Tsung bring my mother back_ , she thought in a black fury. _She allowed her to free Shao Kahn_ … _her people betrayed me_ …

Shaking with anger, she hissed, “I know what Shokan honor is worth.”

“You misinterpret my offer, ladies. You are coming with us, one way or another. It’s just a matter of whether you come in peace or in pain.”

“None of us are strangers to pain, Prince.”

With a roar, she hurled her fans at him. The spinning blades dug into his chest, causing him to grunt and fall to the ground. Dripping with blood, the fans flipped back into her hands, and she took a fighting stance, as did Mileena beside her.

“Take them!” Goro snarled, holding his bleeding chest. “Break the doors down! Kill whoever you find inside!”

As he engaged Ermac in combat, the other Shokan charged. The first to reach the stairway was stunned by Mileena’s Teleport Kick. She quickly followed with a Sai Throw at the next one and a roundhouse kick at the one behind him. Kitana swept up her first attacker with a Fan Lift, and then met the next two with fan slashes.

She ceased to care about sparing her opponents’ lives. She allowed the trance of battle to take hold and focused only on cutting down as many of her enemies as she could. Much Shokan blood was spilled before they landed a single blow. Though in constant movement, she kept her eyes on Sheeva, who awaited her chance to join the fray.

Ermac held his own against Goro, but she knew they couldn’t last long against such odds. The half-human dragons were strong with thick skin and heavy bones. Although Kitana and Mileena were swift, sooner or later they’d be overwhelmed. If they had any more allies in the Sky Temple, they’d need them soon.

A Shokan leapt into the air at her, intent on crushing her beneath his feet. She caught him in another Fan Lift but was left open to a shoulder-block that sent her tumbling into the dirt. Though dazed, she held onto her weapons and saw Mileena get caught by another pair of Shokan nearby. One held her wrists, allowing his partner to bowl her over with a punch to the gut. A rising knee sent her flipping through the air and into the dirt alongside Kitana.

They didn’t realize until too late that they should’ve coordinated their attacks around assisting Ermac. As powerful as he was, even he couldn’t concentrate on Goro and the surrounding Shokan at the same time. In desperation, he floated into the air and roared. Blinding green light engulfed Goro and his troops and threw them back in a heap.

Catching his breath, Ermac backed to Kitana and Mileena. “We must get inside. We can bottleneck them at the entrance.”

“What of Raiden?” Kitana asked. “Who else is here?”

“The Thunder God isn’t in,” he said. “We don’t have—”

The doors to the Sky Temple clanked and creaked open. Another ninja emerged, this one clad in yellow and black—a sword in one hand and a roped kunai in the other. Kitana hesitated upon seeing another unexpected ally.

Scorpion had come.

* * *

“Demon? Do you still live?”

Sareena stirred with a sharp gasp of air. She convulsed and writhed on the table. Seeing her in this state, Tsung knew she was likely delirious. She could be swayed into freeing him, he considered. But being a demon, she could also just as easily go feral in her final moments.

“Sareena,” he said, keeping his voice gentle. “Sareena, listen to me. You’re dying. There’s no help for you here. Only me.”

She blinked and stared into space. She might have heard him, but she wasn’t seeing him.

“You don’t have much time,” he continued. “You know what might happen if you die here? You understand, don’t you? You may cease to exist altogether. Or damned to the 5th Plane of the Netherealm. You know what that means, don’t you?”

She sucked in air with a choked gasp. “… I-I know the 5th Plane …” she said, her voice strained and barely audible. “… Shinnok … put me there … when I … betrayed them …”

“Yes,” he said. “You understand that is where the worst tortures occur. The _worst_ torture. You don’t want to go back there, do you?”

“… they … hurt me …”

“It doesn’t have to end here, Sareena. Just let me loose, and I will heal you. You have my word.”

Fear came to her eyes, and her breathing became panicked hiccups. “… I see him … it’s him … Drahmin … he … he’s waiting for me … he wants me back …”

A strangled scream emerged that turned into an inhuman snarl. She convulsed again, and dread came to Tsung as he realized she was about to die right in front of him. “No, no, no,” he said. “Not yet. I need you to free me.”

Her human form wavered, and for a brief moment, he glimpsed what she really was—a wretched beast completely unlike the beautiful human form she possessed. Oddly, it made him think of his own true form. How long had it been since he looked upon himself as he truly was?

He put it aside and tried to think. Upsetting Sareena only seemed to make her worse. If she was going to survive long enough to free him, he needed her calm. That meant he needed to comfort her.

Simple enough. He’d seen mortals do it plenty of times. Or, at least, he was aware of the practice. All he had to do was feed her some meaningless platitudes and put her mind at ease. How hard could it be?

“Sareena,” he said. “It’s okay. You’re going to make it. You … erm … you’re strong, and you will … everything’s going to be fine.” He paused, struggling to think of something else. “You … everything’s going to be … fine?”

_This is what I’ve been reduced to_.

He was about to speak again, when he heard creaking. He thought it was the wind, but it was followed another, louder groan and a crunch that seemed to come from outside. For a moment, he thought Ermac returned, but it occurred to him Ermac would simply levitate back up. This, whatever it was, sounded like something climbing the walls outside.

_Shokan. Perhaps others_ , Ermac had said of their attackers. Who else would the Dragon King send?

More creaking, and it seemed to be coming from different directions. And at least one source was inside the temple with them, but Tsung saw nothing. That was when he realized.

Yes, he thought. The Shokan would bar the entrance and keep them from escaping. Maybe even break the doors down. And with all attention fixed on them, no one would think to defend from the invisible foes scaling the walls—Zaterrans.

“Sareena,” he said. “I realize you’re in a bad way right now. But we are out of time. If you don’t untie me— _now_ —we are both going to die.”

Her hiccup breaths had reduced to one every several seconds. They were getting shallower every time. She was motionless, and her eyes were rolled up.

“Sareena? You need to let me loose!” He strained against his bonds, and fear at last came to Shang Tsung as louder creaking both outside and inside the temple closed in. “Sareena! Can you hear me?! _Sareena_!”

She didn’t move. Her breathing stopped.

He stared at her, eyes bulging, until his view was blocked by a Zaterran warrior becoming visible in front of him. The creature licked his lips and grinned, revealing sharp teeth that glistened with venomous drool.

“Isn’t this a surprissse …”

* * *

Wasting no time, Scorpion cracked his rope like a whip, and the kunai slashed a charging Shokan across the face. With blood pouring down his face, he offered no defense when Ermac sent him tumbling back down the stairs with a stiff blow to the chest.

“Where is Havik?” he asked. “We can’t hold them off for long.”

“There’s more he needs to learn from the library upstairs,” Scorpion replied, rubbing his neck. “He said to buy as much time as we can give him.”

“Wait,” Kitana said. “Havik? The Cleric from the Chaos Realm?”

“Strange circumstances have led to strange alliances,” Ermac said. “How dire must things be for you and your clone to fight side by side, Princess?”

With the doors to the Sky Temple open, they backed inside and used the narrow quarters to their advantage. The Shokan, already large and overcrowded, quickly piled on top of one another in their efforts to swarm the warriors and only left themselves vulnerable.

Sword in hand, Scorpion cut and slashed at every four-armed beast in sight. Kitana, despite never fighting by his side before, easily slipped into sync with him—keeping multiple attackers at bay. Mileena hurled her sai into a Shokan’s face before leaping onto another and tearing into his flesh with her teeth. Ermac utilized his telekinesis to brutal effect.

Blood pooled at the Sky Temple’s entrance and trickled down the stairs outside. Flesh tore and bones shattered. Most of the Shokan who walked away from the fight did so with lasting scars and missing some of their four arms.

But it was only borrowed time. Kitana turned to see Scorpion struck by a blow with enough force to slam him into the ground. Dazed, he failed to defend against the follow-up kick to the chest that sent him tumbling.

She sprang to his aid, slashing his attacker first across the neck, and then an upward cut that slit him open from navel to chin. The Shokan gurgled as his insides spilled out in front of him, and he fell into another Shokan behind him.

Kitana tended to Scorpion, who was dripping with sweat. “Are you okay? Can you stand?”

“My neck,” he said, gritting his teeth. “I don’t know what’s wrong. My neck … my back hurts …”

She had noticed he didn’t appear to be a spectre anymore and assumed he couldn’t withstand the same damage as he could then. Unfortunately, she had little time to think on it, as she turned only to be overwhelmed by a phalanx of Shokan arms. She endured some powerful blows of her own before getting slammed into the floor herself.

Nearby, Mileena suffered a similar fate and barely dove to safety before her attackers could stomp her into paste. They had cut down or maimed a dozen Shokan, but that still left another ten or so, including Goro. The half-human dragons were too resilient and too strong to hold off much longer.

Ermac bellowed. In a blinding flash of green light, the swarming warriors were hurled away. Having bought them a brief respite, he stumbled and sank to a knee—the battle taking its toll on even him.

“To the lift,” he said, his breathing ragged. “We can’t hold them here. We need to plan our—”

He didn’t finish. Goro himself stormed through the temple doors and snatched Ermac’s wrists with his bottom set of arms and grasped his head with the upper pair. Ermac groaned as his arms were pulled and his head squeezed. He feebly kicked at Goro’s midsection, but to no effect as the Shokan Prince aimed to simultaneously tear him apart and crush his skull.

He was saved when Kitana slashed at Goro’s knee with her fans and both Scorpion and Mileena hit with jumping kicks to the face. The Prince staggered and slipped on the pool of blood on the floor. The ground shook when he fell flat on his back.

Scorpion helped Ermac to his feet and passed him to Mileena. “Take him,” he said, wincing in pain. “We have to get to the upper levels.”

While Mileena led Ermac to the lift, Scorpion rubbed his neck and stumbled. Dripping sweat, his face was bright red and etched in pain. He growled and looked as though he would burst out of his own skin.

“Scorpion,” Kitana said, going to him. “What’s wrong?”

“My head,” he said, his voice strained and harsh. “… feels like it’s on fire …”

“Let me help you,” she said, taking him by the arm. “We can—”

“LOOK OUT!”

He shoved her aside. Kitana could only watch in horror as Sheeva throttled him with a devastating double-punch. She may have meant to hit her but paid little mind and pressed her assault on Scorpion. She finished with an uppercut, using all four of her fists, that launched him through the air and slammed him into the temple wall.

He sank to the ground, barely conscious, and Kitana screamed when Sheeva launched her Searing Blast fireball at him. Goro shot a fireball of his own that shattered the walls and buried him in rubble and stone.

* * *

Shang Tsung was not unfamiliar with death. He’d certainly killed countless people in his time and come distressingly close more than once himself. Though he would fight it as long as he could, he always hoped when death did finally claim him, it would be a somewhat dignified end.

For a time, he thought having his life force and power transferred to Sindel at Shao Kahn’s whim was the most humiliating way to meet his doom. But sitting there, bound to a chair in Raiden’s Sky Temple and about to be executed by a nameless Zaterran with no one but a dead demon to keep him company … of all the ways to die, this had to be the dumbest.

“Lord Syzoth will be pleased,” the Zaterran said. “It will be my honor to presssent him with your head.”

“‘Lord?’” he repeated. “I’m to understand Reptile … _Reptile_ … is a lord among you people?”

He held Tsung by the face and raised his claws to strike. But without warning, he stiffened and his back arched. Eyes wide and confused, he turned to find Sareena barely standing and with dripping kama blades in her hands. Mustering what strength she had left, she slashed his throat, and the Zaterran crumbled to the floor gurgling and choking on his own blood.

“I’m impressed, demon,” Tsung said as she collapsed to her knees. “You have some will in you.”

Her breathing was strained, and she barely had the energy to look at him. “You’re going to heal me.”

“Now you’re talking sense,” he said, smiling. “Just untie me, and—”

“No,” she interrupted. “Heal me first. _Then_ I untie you.”

He frowned, and more creaking and crunching echoed around them. The Zaterran she killed may have been the first one in, but many of his friends were on their way—Reptile included, most likely.

“That’s cute, Sareena. But we don’t have time for—”

“No, we don’t. You heal me first … or we both die … right here.”

“You’re not in a position to bargain. You need me.”

“And you need me,” she said without hesitation. “Here’s how I see it … I untie you, and you throw me aside … and I’m dead. I don’t untie you … the Zaterrans come and rip us apart. I’m dead either way … so why shouldn’t I let you come with me?”

He almost insisted he would honor his part of the bargain but knew she wouldn’t believe him. And, loathe as he was to admit it, she was right to. He never had any intention of healing her, and if she released him, he would just slap her out of his way and escape. Maybe even kill her himself.

_Have I become that predictable?_

“Why should I trust you?” he asked. “How do I know if I heal you, you won’t leave me here?”

“How do I know … you won’t betray me … even after you heal me? We’re just going to have to … roll the dice together.” Her managed to look him in the eye. “One demon to another.”

“Fine,” he said. “Come closer. This would be easier if I wasn’t bound, mind you.”

“I’m sure you’ll manage,” she said kneeling in front of him. She then held a kama to his throat and added, “If I hear your voice in my head … or any voice that isn’t my own … I will kill you, right here. Understood?”

A seemingly strange threat, but Tsung did understand. She would hear his voice in her mind if he tried to enchant her under his control. The girl was indeed too familiar with sorcerers and their ways.

He was almost beginning to like her.

**End of Chapter X**


	11. Rejection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The battle continues.

Sareena was no stranger to the cold.

She sometimes thought it fitting she should end up so closely associated with the Sub-Zero brothers. Despite the prevalence of fire, lava and brimstone throughout the Netherealm, the cold was something she always carried with her. It was her earliest memory. Some among her kind believed the constant cold and emptiness they felt was their lack of a real soul.

It came as no surprise to her Shang Tsung’s sorcery was like icy fingers rippling up and down her flesh. She felt darkness reach into her and smother the damage Ashrah’s sword did. She could hear the thousands of souls he kept imprisoned within himself howl in torment, and with that, came the sensation of feeding. It was not unlike how she maintained her human form by absorbing the essence of the realm.

Coldness flowed through her veins, and as it did, Sareena’s strength returned. The part of her that was a demon flexed and snarled. Rage and bloodlust overwhelmed her thoughts. She was not a being of Light, and she never would be. She was a demon, and her domain was darkness.

Eyes glowing red like rubies, she stumbled away from Shang Tsung trying to regain control of herself. She punched and clawed the floor, hissing and snarling. Feeling like she would burst, she threw her head back and let rip a shrieking roar.

She collapsed to her hands and knees, and just like that, it was over. Shaking, she stared at her hands and pushed away the darkness and anger. The cold was there, as always, but the pain was gone. Her wounds were healed, human form as it should be, and her mind clear.

She turned to Tsung, who appeared older and grayer than he was before. “You’re welcome,” he said, out of breath. “Now then … I believe you owe me something in return.”

The sound of wood snapping and glass breaking echoed all around them. The remaining Zaterrans had come and were breaking into the temple. Sareena got to her feet and looked around before focusing on Tsung. After the briefest of hesitation, she unchained him and took a step back.

Even he seemed surprised as he stood up. “I won’t lie, demon,” he said, rubbing his arm. “I expected you to double-cross me.”

“They’re here for you, too,” she said. “Even if you just try to escape, you’re going to have to fight your way out.”

“I suppose so,” he said. “Be a dear—duck.”

As she did, Tsung whispered some magic words and clapped his hands together before outstretching them. A circle of fire spread from him throughout the chamber, revealing five invisible Zaterrans around them.

Their camouflage given away, the reptilian fighters hissed and prepared for battle. One leapt onto the table and let out a hideous snarl. Sareena, in turn, jumped onto the table herself and roared back. She surprised him with her strength as she tackled him into the wall. She slammed his head against the stone and clawed at his face.

Another Zaterran forced her off his comrade and engaged her in battle. The remaining three focused their attack on Shang Tsung and fought their way into the neighboring chambers—perhaps thinking he was the more dangerous foe. Not inaccurate, she allowed, but if they thought a mere two Zaterrans were enough to stop her, they were mistaken.

She easily outfought her opponents, matching their animalism with her own savagery. Her eyes became as blood, and black claws grew from her fingers. She smelled the Zaterrans’ fear as they came to realize there weren’t dealing with a mere human. Although she maintained her human form, the demon was in control, and she allowed the bloodlust to drive her.

With a desperate roar, one of them charged at her. She met him with a Gut Buster that sent him crashing into the far wall. His partner spat acid, but she dodged the attack and plunged her claws into his chest. Holding him in place, she unloaded blow after blow onto his face.

In near frenzy, she lifted him over her head and slammed him into the floor with a sickening thud. She almost continued her assault but stopped herself. Once, for reasons she still didn’t understand even to that day, Bi-Han spared her life. Kuai Liang, as cold and pragmatic as he could be, taught her the value of compassion. Although every instinct she had urged her to tear them apart, limb from limb, she didn’t wish to be without mercy.

She considered assisting Shang Tsung in his fight, but felt a familiar chill in the air. The hairs on her neck stood, and she realized she wasn’t left with the fewer Zaterrans because they underestimated her.

Turning around, she wasn’t surprised to find the blinding white garb of Ashrah waiting with her holy sword drawn.

“I told you we weren’t finished.”

* * *

Sareena wasn’t wrong in her assessment that Shang Tsung only sought to escape. Although he wouldn’t deny the threat Onaga posed, he had no interest in sticking his neck out for that fight. Perhaps, some day and with proper planning, he would try his hand at overthrowing the Dragon King. But until then, survival was paramount.

And he would indeed need to fight his way out, but the truth was he actually welcomed the opportunity to pay the Zaterrans back for the humiliation he suffered in Sun Do. More importantly, he needed some fresh souls to rejuvenate his youth and power.

He led his attackers into a nearby training chamber and waited for his opening. He fought defensively at first, for he was not at full strength and his arm was still hurt. But he knew once he took the first soul, the tide would be in his favor. He just needed to wait.

Although Onaga restored the Zaterran people, his remade reality didn’t grant them any special experience or tactical edge. As fast and agile as the three warriors were, none could connect a single blow and frustration came quickly. One of the younger reptiles hissed in anger and made a foolhardy attempt to grab hold of him by his neck. Tsung smiled.

He slapped his hands away and struck fast and precise with chops and blows to the ribs, collarbone and throat. The Zaterran gasped and offered no defense as Tsung kneed him in the gut while simultaneously elbowing him in the back of the neck.

Contrary to common belief, stealing another’s soul was not always something Shang Tsung could do with a snap of his finger. It depended on the opponent and their willpower. Some, if caught off guard, could be taken at a moment’s notice, but it was always easiest when the victim was exhausted or beaten to submission.

Slumped over his knee, the Zaterran’s soul came with little resistance. His remaining comrades looked on in horror as Tsung felt power surge through his body again. Strength returned to his arm, as did his youth. He pushed aside the soulless husk and beckoned the others to try their hand.

Their souls fell as easily as the first. By the time he was done, Shang Tsung was almost fully restored to his prime. It felt good to be young and strong again, and he took great relish that he had done so in Raiden’s own Sky Temple.

Like a snake, he thrust his hand out and snatched the next invisible Zaterran by the neck. Khameleon gagged and became visible as she struggled in his grip. “Ah, ah,” he said, waving his finger. “Fool me once …”

He threw her across the room and cracked his neck. He wanted to savor this for what she did to his arm. Khameleon got to her feet and took a fighting stance, showing no fear or hesitation.

“You’ll pay for the Zaterransss you killed,” she hissed. “Not just here … but all my brothers and sisssters you killed in passst timelines.”

“You would not be the first opponent to claim I will pay for some wrongdoing,” he said. “You won’t be the last either.”

Khameleon was more formidable than her fallen brethren, but still child’s play to Shang Tsung. He dodged her attacks with ease and outpaced her every move. To her credit, she didn’t get flustered or desperate, but he saw the doubt in her eyes. She knew she couldn’t win this fight.

“I recall you were always more willful than Reptile,” he said. “A shame really. You probably would’ve been a greater asset.”

“I am no slave, monssster.”

“So many say that. But all it amounts to is—”

Tsung’s hubris didn’t come without a price. In a sudden flurry of sweeping kicks and jumping punches, Khameleon managed to claw at his face—leaving three red gashes on his cheek. He felt the wounds and looked at the blood on his fingertips with a twisted smile of barely contained rage.

“Fair enough,” he said. “Now … allow me to reply.”

He began with a Skull Fireball he knew she would dodge. She ducked right into his waiting grip and was overwhelmed with a series of punches and kicks that left her staggering. A combo of strikes to her face buckled her to a knee, and she failed to block the roundhouse kick that sent her spinning through the air.

“What was it you said?” he asked. “Back in Sun Do? That I was a bad memory to be put to rest?”

In desperation, she lunged with a back elbow that he easily caught. She shrieked as he broke her arm at the joint.

“I am no memory. I am a nightmare, and I don’t end.”

* * *

As the dust settled, silence came over the Sky Temple’s entrance. Kitana stared at the pile of rubble that had buried Scorpion. She knew little about the man or his abilities. She didn’t even know his real name. But she guessed, while possible he could’ve survived if was still a spectre, the mortal man was certainly crushed.

Behind her, Mileena and Ermac urged her to retreat to the lift so they could reach the upper levels, but she didn’t hear them. Her eyes locked onto Sheeva, who let out a triumphant roar along with Goro and her fellow Shokan outside.

Searing rage told hold—razor sharp and clear. Not just for Scorpion, but remembering how the Shokan betrayed her on the Sea of Blood. Sindel’s treachery would’ve been deadly enough, but it was the Shokan turning on her that cinched the battle. They paved the way for Shao Kahn’s restoration. And it was thanks to their Queen.

Fans drawn, she charged with a roar of her own and caught her with a Square Wave attack that staggered the Shokan. She pressed her advantage with kicks and slashes that kept Sheeva reeling. Unlike their previous battle—when they were still allies, and neither sought to seriously hurt the other—Kitana fought to kill.

Sheeva regained her bearings but not before suffering multiple gashes and cuts to her arms and torso. She jumped high into the air, intent on crushing her beneath her feet. Kitana evaded the attack, and the concrete cracked when the Shokan came slamming down. Nearby, Goro watched but didn’t interfere—perhaps allowing her the honor of a one-on-one duel.

“Impressive, Princess,” Sheeva said with a smirk. “Worthy of your reputation.”

“I’m not holding back this time.”

“This time?”

She charged again, attacking with her fans like a whirlwind. A slash at Sheeva’s throat just missed by mere inches, but another at her midsection took a chunk of meat with it that caused even the Shokan woman to grunt in pain.

Clutching her bleeding side with one hand, Sheeva swung at her with the remaining three fists, but none connected. Kitana scored another cut at her thigh and an upward slice at her shoulder. Sheeva stumbled, allowing her to land a thrusting kick to her gut.

Sheeva backed away, her face in tight grimace of pain and anger. Watching her, Kitana’s fury only grew. “I trusted you,” she said. “I trusted your people, and you betrayed me!”

More slashes and jabs. Sheeva evaded her and backed away, perhaps realizing she wouldn’t win head on. Somewhere, Ermac and Mileena pleaded with her to forget it and join them, but she ignored them. She didn’t even acknowledge Goro, who still only watched in silence. Her heart pounded, and all she could think of was taking her anger out on Sheeva.

“How could you? After everything we did … everything we could’ve done … how could you let her bring him back?” Blinded with rage, she dove at her with her fans. “ _How could you_?!”

“ _I don’t know what you’re talking about_!”

Kitana’s anger was her undoing. Faster and more agile than her male counterparts, Sheeva dodged her lunge and caught her by the wrist. Before she could react, a jab to the kidney made her head snap back in pain.

Sheeva continued her assault by taking her other wrist and holding her up. With Kitana’s feet dangling off the ground, she was unable to defend herself as the Shokan used her free arms to pound her ribs and stomach.

She then grasped her midsection with her lower arms and laid into her with punches to the face with her upper arms. A head-butt made Kitana’s vision go dark, like someone threw ink in her eyes, and she almost didn’t feel when Sheeva threw her across the room and into the far wall.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Sheeva repeated, catching her breath. “I don’t know what you think I did to you. I don’t know why you think I betrayed you.”

Wracked with pain, Kitana gritted her teeth and forced herself up. “I … won’t lose to you again …”

“You try my patience,” Sheeva said, shaking her head. “Whatever the fantasies growing in your mind, I fight for the Shokan. The Dragon King has given my people what we deserve, and I will do all that I can to protect that. Who are you to me?”

“We were queens once,” she said, wiping blood from her lip. “You stood by my side and hailed me as Kahn.”

Sheeva stopped, and a perplexed look came to her face. “Queen?”

It was the opening Kitana needed. She caught her with a running knee to the face, causing her nose to burst. She pressed the attack with a barrage of punches and kicks to Sheeva’s midsection and thighs, hoping to topple the taller woman. A shot to the knee forced the Shokan to crumble, and just like that, she was no bigger than Kitana.

“We had a chance,” she said, retrieving her fans. “We had a chance to make a new Outworld.”

Sheeva lunged, hoping to overwhelm her, but Kitana caught her with a slice to back of her knee and an upward swing that cut Sheeva’s lower left arm off at the elbow. The Shokan stared at her bleeding stump in shock and was unable to defend against the roundhouse kick that left her flat on her back.

“A better Outworld where we all could’ve prospered without Shao Kahn,” she continued, her breathing speeding up. “And you …”

She stood over the fallen Shokan and imagined herself back on the Sea of Blood, watching as Sheeva’s people turned on her troops—sabotaging the battle before they could even reach Kronika’s Keep.

Enabling Shao Kahn and her mother to destroy everything she worked for. Cheering as they renounced her and pledged themselves to her step-father.

“You threw it all away! _For him_!”

“My Kahn …”

Her fans were raised and ready to plunge into her face. She looked Sheeva in the eyes, cold fury in her veins, and found her face grave and horrified, as though she’d just woken up from a trance.

“I-I remember,” Sheeva said. “Your mother … she …”

Her eyes widened, and to Kitana’s shock, she saw a flicker of horror.

And shame.

“I didn’t know. I tried to stop her, but …” She closed her eyes, and a solemn, sorrowful look came to her. “I failed you, my Kahn. I failed us all.”

Pain came to Kitana’s heart. The anger now felt like poison flowing through her. Was Sheeva as much a victim as her? The unfairness of it weighed on her. They could’ve brought a new age of peace to Outworld, but it was undone by her treacherous mother. And now here they were, women who only sought the best for their people, left to kill one another in the aftermath.

“Sheeva … I …”

A crushing grip snatched her arm, and before she even realized it, Goro threw her out of the Sky Temple’s entrance. She tumbled down the stone stairway and hit the ground hard. She clutched her arm and groaned in pain, as the force of Goro’s throw nearly tore it off.

“Enough of this,” he said. “She will be taken to the Dragon King, and he will decide what will be done with her.”

“Goro, wait,” Sheeva said, getting to her feet. “We can’t …”

“Be silent! You’ve disgraced yourself enough with that display. Now, let us …”

He trailed off when the rumbling came. For a moment, Kitana thought it another earthquake. But it wasn’t the ground that shook. All eyes turned to the Sky Temple’s entrance, where the pile of rubble and debris growled like a sleeping beast lived within.

The pile burst in an explosion of fire, and from the flames a ninja clad in yellow and black leaped out. His uniform was leather and adorned with spikes and skulls. His eyes were sunken and milky white, and his monstrous bellow was deep and inhuman.

Kitana watched in awe as he swung a chained kunai at the Shokan warriors surrounding her and left a wall of fire in its wake, blocking them from swarming. He then turned his attention to Goro and tore off his mask, revealing a flaming skull.

Goro saw what was coming too late. With another roar, ninja spewed hellfire upon the Shokan Prince, consuming him in flames. Goro screamed in pain and collapsed with half his body burning. The remaining Shokan looked on in fear as their mighty Prince desperately rolled on the ground, trying to put out the fire.

The hellspawn ninja let rip one more roar of fury and despair. Hanzo Hasashi was gone, but Scorpion had returned.

* * *

“It’s a shame your Dragon King couldn’t be bothered to negotiate.”

Though she was on her knees, Shang Tsung held Khameleon up by her broken arm and took great satisfaction in hearing her moans of pain. She feebly tried to free herself from his grip, but what little strength she had was taken from her by a knee to the face.

“I’m not unreasonable,” he continued. “My service might have been useful to him.” Another knee. “And you would’ve been spared this.”

Though dazed and her face bloody, she looked at him with defiance. “Don’t flatter yourssself, snake,” she said. “Onaga wantsss nothing to do with filth like you.”

“Filth, you say? Strong words from an overgrown reptile.” Green flames burned from his hand. “One about to lose her soul, no less.”

Just as he began draining her soul, something wet and leathery snapped around his neck. He gagged and wasn’t surprised to find Reptile himself behind him. The Zaterran ninja’s odious tongue tensed as it tried to take his head off, but Tsung resisted the pull and threw Khameleon aside.

Reptile released him, and his tongue snapped back into his mouth. He then took a fighting stance, and Tsung laughed. “Sacrificing yourself for the lady, Reptile? What a brave new world this is indeed.”

“I do not fear you anymore, sssorcerer.”

“And here I thought Onaga made you smarter.”

Reptile opened with a Force Ball, but he countered with a Skull Fireball that burst it before it was near. Before the mist and smoke cleared, Reptile charged with punches, kicks, and slashes with his claws. Tsung easily dodged the attacks and left the Zaterran reeling with an elbow to his heart.

He caught his breath, shaking off the blow, and charged again. This time aiming low, first with a Slide and sweeping kicks to take Tsung off his feet. But the sorcerer again evaded his attacks and countered with low kicks to the knees and ankles of his own. Reptile staggered and was left open to haymakers and chops to the throat.

Pressing his advantage, Tsung took Reptile by his shoulder and slammed his head into the nearest wall twice before hitting an uppercut that sent him crashing to the floor.

“No cyborg to help you this time,” Tsung said, looking at his nails. “But as I was just saying to your lady-friend: I am not unreasonable. You served me well once. I could be convinced to accept you into my service again.”

Struggling to get to his feet, Reptile hissed and spat on the floor. “I will not be a ssslave again.”

“Come now, Reptile. This defiance doesn’t suit you. I remember when you chose to throw dear Khameleon aside rather than cross Shao Kahn. Do it again, and I may yet spare you.”

“A different time. One I am not proud of. But never again.”

“You’ve got Kitana’s disease,” Tsung said, sneering. “Nobody changes, Reptile. Least of all people like us.”

“No. Jussst you,” Reptile said as he got to his feet. He swayed and stumbled, unable to even stand straight, but despite his bruised and bloodied face, he grinned. “I have sssunk low in my time, but I have more than you ever will. The Dragon King told me the truth about you. What you really are and why you will never have a place in hisss new world.”

He frowned. “Indulge me, Reptile. What am I?”

“An accursssed demon with no sssoul of his own. An outcassst rejected by Earthrealm’s gods. Barely tolerated by Shao Kahn and only ssstill alive by mere fluke. I may die today, but I am proud to know my sssacrifice was for the good of my people. Who will remember you, Shang Tsssung, after Liu Kang finally puts you down for good?”

Tsung listened, a scowl fixed on his face. A part of him thought to laugh at Reptile’s attempted insights. For so long, the creature had been little more than a barely articulate dog who heeled at a mere look from Shao Kahn. And now here he was, a grand warrior willing to die for his noble cause.

“Your Dragon King taught you much, Reptile. And kudos to you for finally growing a spine. But I wonder … of all the things Onaga told you about me, did he mention how much I despise being judged?”

Like the snap of a biting snake, he charged and plowed into Reptile with a jumping kick to his sternum. Reptile crashed into the next room, which was an elegant shrine dedicated to Raiden. As Tsung followed, he found it almost fitting their battle should end up here. Here, where he was first cursed by the gods so long ago.

Struggling to breath, Reptile stood again but had no fight left in him. Tsung could’ve easily taken his soul then, but the combination of Reptile’s taunts and the memories Raiden’s shrine stirred left him feeling cold and vicious. Pent up anger from his defeat at Liu Kang’s hands and the indignity of being dragged about by Ermac and Havik itched to be unleashed.

“If you wish to die a hero, Reptile, I shall gladly oblige you.”

He remembered that day, so long ago, when he stood in this very shrine and listened to Raiden and his fellow gods. They called him corrupt. They called him foul. An unworthy representative of Earthrealm in Mortal Kombat. An inhuman creature that had no place standing as defender of the realm.

What difference did it make if his motives weren’t “pure of heart?” Who were they to judge him for being what he was? Mortal Kombat was a tournament of life or death. If they wanted someone to defend against Earthrealm’s enemies, who better than a demon sorcerer unafraid to fight evil on its own terms?

It would be a thousand years before he met Liu Kang, but upon seeing Raiden’s Chosen One … seeing for himself what kind of Champion Earthrealm’s gods sought …

He stopped to catch his breath and saw his fists were covered in Reptile’s green blood. The Zaterran’s face was a mangled ruin—jaw broken, eyes swollen shut, teeth missing, and leathery flesh reduced to bleeding pulp. He swayed on his knees, barely conscious and near death.

“Do your people have gods, Reptile?” Tsung asked, staring at the shrine. “I’ve never bothered to find out. Do you think they’re watching now? Watching as you valiantly give your life for the future of your restored race? I’m going to let you in on a little secret about gods.”

He took hold of Reptile’s head and leaned in close to whisper.

“They’re not listening.”

With that, he snapped Reptile’s neck and threw the limp body at the foot of Raiden’s shrine. And with a wave of his hand, he drained the soul from his body and absorbed it into himself.

“ _Syzoth_!” Khameleon shrieked in horror from down the hall. Though clearly enraged and horrified by what she witnessed, she knew she couldn’t win in her state. She turned invisible, and Tsung could only hear her footsteps as she fled.

He didn’t care to pursue. He was satisfied. He returned his attention to Raiden’s shrine and spat on it. He would not be judged—not by gods, not by Shao Kahn, not by Onaga, and certainly not Reptile.

_“_ Unworthy?” he said. “Call me unworthy? I am Shang Tsung.”

* * *

Sareena shivered at the sight of Ashrah’s kriss. She remembered the agonizing pain of its blade running her through and the slow, constant sensation of rotting away she carried in the days after. Whatever the sword’s true origin, it was forged to slay her kind with power that was anathema to creatures of darkness.

As the wind howled outside the Sky Temple, she and Ashrah stared each other down—both waiting for their opening. Sareena knew getting the kriss away from her should be top priority. She couldn’t guess how skilled the huntress was unarmed, but with the holy sword out of her hands, she would at least even the playing field.

“You should’ve let me finish you at Hasashi’s,” Ashrah said. “I don’t take pleasure in this. I would’ve given you a clean death. Quick.”

“You’re going to find I tend to linger.”

“Like a stain.”

Ashrah charged, swinging and slashing the kriss. Sareena blocked what she could, but the kama blades weren’t as effective as her Demon Fang. She instead focused on evasion and keeping her distance until she found an opening.

She flipped over the table and backed into one of the other rooms, making Ashrah come after her. The huntress followed but was cautious. Her eyes were focused and cold, and Sareena knew she wouldn’t be easily lured into making a mistake.

“I know who you are,” she said. “Ermac told me about you.”

“Ermac,” Ashrah repeated. “Another abomination that has eluded my blade too long.”

“I know you once served Quan Chi. You’re a demon like me.”

“Was,” she said. “That creature is long gone. My sword purified me—rid me of my demonic taint and made me so much more.”

Sareena evaded another lunge, and a stone statue she had been standing in front of was cleaved in two by Ashrah’s blade.

“I turned on Quan Chi. I renounced the Brotherhood. Don’t I deserve a chance to be more?”

“You think saving your own skin makes you worthy?” Ashrah replied. “You think abandoning your masters makes you any better than the rest of your wretched kind? You’re nothing more than an opportunist. From Quan Chi and the Brotherhood to Sub-Zero and the Lin Kuei to Scorpion and the Shirai Ryu … who else will you whore yourself to when chance comes?”

Anger sparked in Sareena, and this time she made the first move. She managed to catch the kriss with her kamas and pull it from Ashrah’s hands. A kick to the gut knocked the huntress away, and she threw the holy blade to the other side of the room.

Now fighting hand-to-hand, she pressed her advantage, hoping to overpower her. But Ashrah proved just as formidable even without her weapon. She kept pace and held her ground—perhaps not surprising if she was once an assassin for Quan Chi, too.

She caught Sareena with an elbow and followed with a burst of mystical light from her hands. The attack stung and threw her back against the wall, leaving her vulnerable to a pair of punches. She tried to fight back, but Ashrah caught her hand and flipped her onto the floor.

“All demons are alike,” Ashrah said. “When I disobeyed Quan Chi, he sent my own sisters after me. And did a single one of them hesitate or question him?” She walked to the other side of the room and retrieved the kriss. “Perhaps I would’ve done the same if our places were reversed. I was as foul a creature as them and you. Until I found the kriss. It showed me the Light.”

Sareena got to her feet and wiped blood from her lip. “So because you stumbled across a magic sword, you get to be purified while the rest of us get slaughtered?”

“It was not mere chance I found the sword. It was destiny. The sword calls to me. It is why I serve the Dragon King now. He has given me a divine purpose. I shall cleanse his perfect world of your kind.

“There’s no place for things like you anymore,” Ashrah continued. “Do not presume to think we’re anything alike. I was chosen. You are nothing. A lowly demon crawled out of the darkness—unwanted and easily forgotten.”

The words stung. She thought of the centuries she spent under Quan Chi’s heel, constantly reminded of her place. She remembered Sonya Blade’s distrustful eyes whenever she was asked to do something for the Special Forces. She imagined Raiden looking down on her and deeming her unworthy as Shang Tsung warned.

“You’re wrong,” she said. “Scorpion swore to help me, even when he had no reason to. Sub-Zero believed in me. You don’t get to tell me who I am. Not you, not the Dragon King. And not some damn sword.”

They resumed their battle—attacking and counterattacking, trading blocks and parries, and meeting blade with blade. For much of the fight, neither had an advantage. They were too evenly matched. Equals so similar, yet opposite one another.

But it was Sareena’s resolve that prevailed. Fighting for her right to exist, she slowly wore Ashrah down and found more openings to strike. The White Huntress, so confident in her righteousness, grew frustrated her demonic opponent wouldn’t relent, and soon found herself reeling.

Flustered, she made a diving attack with the kriss, intent on splitting Sareena down the middle. But Sareena struck first with a Skull Bash that slammed her into the floor. A final Five-Star Kick sent her hurtling through a nearby window where she landed on one of the temple’s lower roofs outside.

The wind howled, and light rain drizzled from above as she followed. Ashrah managed to reach her feet, her pristine white attire soiled and torn, and her face twisted in rage. “This cannot be!” she hissed. “I am a Warrior of Light! You cannot prevail!”

She screamed and charged again, but Sareena blocked her attacks. She quickly dismantled the huntress, and a final roundhouse left her spiraling through the air before hitting the floor. The kriss flew from her hand, and Sareena took hold of the holy weapon.

A sting of power rippled through her body as she gripped the handle. Gazing upon it, she imagined slaying Ashrah and then going on to cut down all forces of evil—perhaps purifying herself as well. Only then could she enjoy the beauty of the Light. Only then would she be welcome among the good. It almost sounded like a voice in her head.

“You were right. I am not a being a Light.” She then threw the kriss over the side. “But I’m not like you either.”

“No!” Ashrah dove to the edge of the roof and watched it fall. She looked crestfallen and crippled—as if taking the sword from her did more damage than any of Sareena’s blows. “Damn you!” she said, on the verge of tears. “That sword was my salvation! It saved me!”

Listening to Ashrah weep, she almost pitied her. She remembered what Havik said about the Datusha and how it influenced its wielder. How much of Ashrah’s actions were her own zeal and how much was the sword? Had it been warping her mind?

She then thought of what she’d said about her sisters and how she found the kriss, and the question came to her. “Did you serve him before or after me?”

“What?”

“I never heard about you,” she said. “Did you know about me? Did Quan Chi keep us separate?”

Ashrah stared at her, her expression a mix of confusion and contempt. “What difference does it make?”

“Maybe I wouldn’t have been banished to the 5th Plane. Maybe you wouldn’t have been out there alone all this time.” She looked at Ashrah, and for the first time since meeting her, didn’t hate or fear her. “We could’ve helped each other.”

The fight over, she turned to go back inside. Though healed, she knew her part in the greater battle to come wasn’t finished. She was no hero or chosen one, but Onaga needed to be stopped. And even if she was some lowly demon, she could help.

“Sareena.”

She looked at Ashrah, who was on her knees with her circular hat removed. Her face was solemn and mournful, but when her eyes met Sareena’s, it didn’t seem to be because of the lost kriss or her defeat. She looked like she had something to say.

But Sareena would never know what it was. Without warning, Ashrah was lifted into the air by a spiral of flames that resembled a cobra. She kicked and flailed but was helpless as Shang Tsung used his sorcery to entrap her.

“Can you fly, huntress?”

With a wave of his hand, the flaming snake threw Ashrah from the Sky Temple’s roof. Sareena watched in horror as she plummeted the thousands of feet to her death—her screams echoing in the night and slowly dwindling to nothing.

“What did you do?!” she said, turning to him. “Why?!”

“Consider it a courtesy,” he said, going back inside. “From one demon to another.”

**End of Chapter XI**


	12. Collateral

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plans are made, and Kitana learns a terrible truth.

A low rumble of thunder rolled in as rain began drizzling from the sky. The remaining Shokan tended to their burnt Prince, disregarding their assault on the Sky Temple for the moment. Kitana got to her feet, rubbing feeling back into her arm, and could only stare at Scorpion. He remained silent and motionless on his knees, his arms limp at his sides and his head sunk.

Although he had been a frequent presence in the battles between Outworld and Earthrealm—sometimes as an ally, sometimes a foe—she knew little of him save that he was a spectre seeking vengeance. Only moments ago, he was a mortal man, and she guessed he too had been remade in this new world. But now …

She approached him and heard his raspy breathing, which sounded pained and sorrowful. He looked at his hands, and though his face was nothing more than a bare skull, she sensed his despair. She understood the same thing that happened to Mileena had happened to him. For whatever reason, he’d been reverted to his old self just as she was.

“Scorpion.” He turned to her, and though his ghostly gaze gave her a chill, she said, “I’m sorry.”

“Kitana!” Mileena called out from the temple’s entrance. “Let’s go! Before they regroup!”

Scorpion put his mask and hood back on and stood up with a sigh. “Go,” he said. “I’ll meet you up there.”

Without another word, he disappeared in a burst of flames.

* * *

“I can’t tell what’s going on down there.”

Sareena stepped away from the window, feeling a wave of dizziness from the Sky Temple’s great height. Looking down, she imagined what it would be like falling to the ground far below—and remembered Ashrah’s bloodcurdling scream—and it made her stomach churn.

She also didn’t like having her back to Shang Tsung. He stood leaning against the wall on the other side of the chamber, his eyes closed and hands in front of him with his fingers folded together. He chanted something under his breath and seemed to be meditating or praying.

Looking at him, differing emotions clashed about what he did to Ashrah. Part of her felt sorry for the dead huntress, but another was glad to be rid of her. She wondered if they could’ve been allies or even friends under different circumstances. And even if the huntress was her enemy, did she deserve to die the way she did?

Yet another part of her wondered why Tsung interfered at all. Mere sadism? Or did he genuinely think he was helping? Somehow, that seemed even more unsettling. Nevertheless, even if he had “helped” her, she knew she’d be a fool to regard him as an ally.

She brushed the thoughts away and said, “I think I saw a fire, but we’re too high up. I don’t know what’s happening.”

He didn’t answer, still focused on whatever he was doing. Before she could say any more, Havik returned, sweating and out of breath. Upon entering, the Cleric immediately collapsed into the nearest seat. “Were you attacked, too?” she asked. “Are there more?”

“No,” he said, gasping for air. “The lift is below. I had to take the stairs to get up here from the library. This place is exhausting when you can’t teleport.” He wiped his forehead and looked around, taking note of the damage and their state. “What did I miss?”

“Little of importance, Cleric,” Tsung answered, his eyes still closed. “I healed the demon. She freed me. We killed some vermin.”

“I see,” Havik said. “I must say I’m surprised you’re still here. I would’ve thought you’d escape at first chance.”

“That’s exactly what I intend to do.”

In the corner, there was a burst of fire that startled everyone inside. On reflex, Sareena drew her kama blades, thinking another enemy was attacking. Similarly, both Tsung and Havik braced themselves for combat, but when the flames cleared, only Scorpion remained.

He looked at her, then gave a brief glance at Shang Tsung. “He healed you.”

“Yes,” she said. “I’m sorry. We were under attack, so I—”

“Don’t apologize,” he said. “It’s what we came here for.”

She nodded but noticed his tone sounded somber. Looking at him, she realized he’d changed. Though still clad in familiar yellow and black, his ninja uniform had become more sinister in appearance. Then she got a good look at his eyes.

“What happened to you?” she asked. “You … you’re a …”

“A spectre again,” he finished. “I don’t know how or why. I just changed back.”

She looked to Havik, expecting some explanation, but the Cleric was silent and appeared grave. Thunder rumbled as the rain outside increased. Scorpion stood in silence, his head sunk and eyes closed. Fists clenched, his breathing intensified, and Sareena flinched when he suddenly howled and punched in the wall behind him.

* * *

Feeling slowly started to return to Kitana’s arm. It throbbed with pain, but she supposed she was fortunate it wasn’t torn from her body. The taste of blood was still in her mouth, and she suspected she’d be feeling sore for days when this was over.

Her companions didn’t look much better. Even Ermac was winded and disheveled. He hid it better though, still standing up straight and appearing stoic as ever. Mileena, too, was bruised and battered, but at the moment, the rickety lift seemed to worry her more than anything. She clung to the railing, her eyes shut and body stiff, and held her breath every time it swayed.

As they approached the upper levels, Kitana turned to Ermac and felt a chill looking at his eerie green eyes. She didn’t forget he was Shao Kahn’s deadliest enforcer, but despite her unease in his presence, it seemed he was one of her allies for the time being.

“Who else is here?” she asked. “Is Raiden coming? Do you know who this Dragon King is?”

He sighed and nodded. “We know. Unfortunately, we don’t have many allies, Princess.” The lift slowed and came to a stop with a loud clang. As he opened the latch, he added, “We’ll warn you in advance: you probably won’t like who you find up here.”

She stepped inside the chamber and quickly noted their numbers were indeed low. She saw Scorpion and knew Havik by his mangled face. She didn’t recognize the woman, but the Brotherhood of the Shadow tattoos on her arms weren’t encouraging.

And then she saw him. “ _You_?!”

Shang Tsung stood in the neighboring chamber with his back to her and arms outstretched. He turned and muttered, “Pleasure to see you, too, your highness.”

She backed against the wall, feeling she’d made a terrible mistake or walked into a trap. She drew her fans and readied herself for battle. “I knew you’d be involved with this, you bastard! I remember what you did!”

“Princess Kitana,” Havik said, standing. He held his hands up, and his torn face made it look as though he was grinning. “If you’ve come this far then you at least know something is amiss. I realize we are not exactly your preferred choice of companions, but as of now, we’re the only friends you have.”

Her eyes moved from one person to another. Mileena was Mileena, and even she looked confused and uncertain. She barely knew Scorpion but understood he could be an ally. She didn’t trust Ermac but saw him come to her aid against the Shokan. She allowed Havik’s goals might align with hers even if he was only interested in chaos.

“You cannot expect me to trust Shang Tsung.”

“I’m not asking you to,” Tsung replied. In the other room, he waved his hands in circular motions while chanting a strange spell. With an unnatural gust of wind and crack of lightning, a swirling portal opened before him. “ _I’m_ leaving. If you people wish to join me, that’s your business.”

“Where will this take us?” Ermac asked.

“Outworld.”

He offered a final parting sneer and then disappeared into the portal. Ermac quickly followed, and Scorpion motioned the woman to do the same. Mileena moved toward the vortex but seemed hesitant. She looked back at Kitana, expecting her to join her.

“But … Raiden. We need him. Don’t we?”

“Princess,” Havik said. “I know how this will sound—especially coming from me—but I would not count on the Thunder God under these circumstances. Onaga, the Dragon King, has reshaped the world as we know it. Who knows what we’ll find when Raiden returns? And what if he believes this world is worth defending?”

She shivered, remembering how Jade insisted she just accept things as they are.

Leaving it at that, Havik turned and entered the portal. This time Mileena went in, too, leaving Kitana with only Scorpion in the Sky Temple. Outside, thunder growled and lightning flashed as it rained harder. If she still wished to see the Thunder God, she wouldn’t have to wait long.

“Scorpion,” she said. “I … we’ve never known one another. But I know you’re a man of honor. If you tell me it’s not worth waiting for Raiden, I’ll believe you.”

He looked at her with solemn eyes. “You don’t need me to tell you not to trust Shang Tsung or Havik. But right now, we’re the best chance you have. If nothing else, you’ll get answers.”

She bit her lip and shifted her weight. It felt wrong going on without at least consulting Raiden. It felt wrong without Liu. The very idea of abiding Shang Tsung made her skin crawl. But, as Ermac himself said earlier: strange circumstances lead to strange alliances.

She sheathed her weapons and joined Scorpion in the portal.

* * *

Sareena shook off the tingling chills of realm travel and waited for Scorpion. Nearby, Ermac glared at Shang Tsung—likely making sure the sorcerer didn’t close the portal before the others could join them. Havik appeared next, with Mileena shortly after. Finally, after a few moments, Scorpion and Kitana came through.

Tsung waved his hands, and with some more magic words, the swirling portal shrank. It closed with a flash like lightning and left nothing but a slight breeze in its wake. That done, he started up the pathway to a cottage nestled amidst the woods ahead. Ermac and Havik followed. Mileena hesitated a moment, looking at her sister, and then went with them.

Sareena turned to Scorpion and felt she should say something. Guilt nagged at her, and she feared his reversion into a spectre might have been Onaga punishing him for helping her. Had she brought this on him? And what would it mean for his family? Even if they were still okay, could he stay with them as he was?

He brushed himself off and headed for the cottage without a word. She had heard he was a man of honor, but she also knew of his infamous temper. Kuai Liang once said Scorpion could sometimes get lost in his anger and lust for revenge. If Onaga tampered with his family—or she was somehow to blame—would Scorpion’s wrath aid them or be their downfall?

“Are you okay?”

She turned to find Kitana staring at her. She hesitated, realizing she’d never encountered the Princess while she still lived, but chose not to burden her with her troubles. “It’s nothing.”

“We weren’t introduced,” she said. “I’m Kitana.”

“I know,” she replied. “Everyone knows who you are. I guess, uh, you wouldn’t remember me though?”

“Oh? We’ve met?”

“Sort of. You were a revenant at the time.” She let out an awkward chuckle. “You tried to kill me.”

Kitana blinked at her, and it took her a moment to discern the meaning of that. “Oh,” she said. “Yes … no. That wasn’t me. Sort of.” She scratched her hair, and even she seemed to have trouble explaining it. “My revenant was my … future self? I’m from … Kronika pulled me from the past.” Upon seeing the bemused expression that inspired, she added, “Don’t ask. It’s confusing.”

“Okay,” she said, shrugging. “Well, my name is Sareena anyway.”

They shook hands and started toward the cottage. Outworld twilight was cool and calm and turned the sky to a deep purple. The setting sun was as blood, leaving the land in a dim orange glow. A gentle breeze drifted through the clearing, causing the bare trees around them to sway. Dead leaves lined the path leading to the cottage.

“Don’t take this the wrong way,” Kitana said. “And I realize these are unusual circumstances for all of us, but …” She gestured at the tattoo on Sareena’s arm. “I know that symbol.”

She sighed, feeling self-conscious about the mark branded on her. “Yes,” she said. “I used to serve the Brotherhood of the Shadow. I was … I was one of Quan Chi’s assassins.” She sighed again and shook her head. “But I’m not a part of that anymore. I turned against the Brotherhood. I swear: I want nothing to do with Quan Chi.”

Kitana stopped as they reached the cottage door and looked at her a moment. Her expression was blank, and Sareena couldn’t guess what she was thinking. Finally, she shrugged and said, “I used to serve Shao Kahn. Who am I to judge?”

The house was a simple, homey place that looked like it had been abandoned for some time. Cloth sheets covered most of the furniture, and everything had a layer of dust coating it. Beyond the living area was a small dojo for exercise and martial arts training.

Inside, Ermac had already settled into his usual levitating meditation pose. Scorpion found a dark corner to brood in, while Mileena and Havik rummaged around—whether actually looking for something or simple boredom, Sareena couldn’t tell. Shang Tsung, however, was inspecting the floor.

“Where are we?”

“This is the home of Bo’ Rai Cho,” he replied. “He was the master who trained Liu Kang. At least he was in the real world—I can only guess what he does in this one.”

“Why did you bring us here?” Kitana asked. “Were you hoping to find him?”

“Absolutely not,” he said. “The last thing I want is to encounter that fat oaf. And luckily, it would appear he hasn’t been here for some time.”

“Then why are we here?”

Tsung smiled upon discovering the trapdoor to a cellar. He pushed the table over it aside and pulled the door open. A cloud of dust erupted, as if the cellar coughed it at him. Undeterred, he reached inside and revealed a dusty black bottle of what appeared to be wine.

“Lo, the heavens smile upon us for a change.”

Sareena hid her giggle as Havik and then Mileena both grabbed bottles of wine for themselves. Kitana, however, wasn’t amused. She glared at the sorcerer, hands of her hips, and seemed to be contemplating killing him.

“So, this Dragon King,” she said. “What does he want?”

“Why are you asking me?” he said, opening his bottle. “You still think I’m somehow behind this?”

“I know the last thing I remember before waking up in Edenia was word spreading you killed Shao Kahn and Sindel,” she said. “That means you had access to Kronika’s Hourglass. So, as I see it, if anyone should know how Onaga accomplished this, it would be you.”

“You would be right, but I was denied my chance at reshaping history. You have your hero, Liu Kang, to thank for that.” He took a swig from the wine and savored its taste. “According to the Cleric, Onaga is using something else.”

Kitana seemed puzzled at his mention of Liu Kang, but before she could question him, Havik said, “Yes. Raiden’s library confirmed what I feared. Onaga did not merely alter time. He has reforged reality itself.”

Though still suspicious of Tsung, she turned to Havik and said, “Fair enough. Explain … and how do we stop him?”

* * *

Night fell as Havik spoke. A small fire was lit along with some candles, and the woods outside Bo’ Rai Cho’s home were quiet. Scorpion and Ermac, though both listened, stayed by the door and kept watch.

Kitana also listened, ignoring the troubling irony the one among them that seemed to best understand what was happening was the madman missing half of his face. From her and Mileena’s experiences, she’d already guessed much of it, but it helped having details and context about who their enemy was and what he sought.

She told what she and Mileena encountered on their journey. The presence of the Seidan Guard in Edenia confirmed what Havik alluded to: although the Dragon King granted them a seeming utopia with all their desires, what he really sought was perfect control. He wanted them placated so his followers could enforce his rule.

“I would imagine,” Havik said. “Once your realm was locked up, Onaga would have the Seidan Guard spread to other realms. So even if all reality doesn’t collapse onto itself, we would see a new totalitarian empire across all realms. Those of us with no place to fit in will be wiped out.”

“How did he accomplish this?” she asked. “What could be more powerful than Kronika’s Hourglass?

“The myths and legends are scattered,” Havik began. “All vague and incomplete. I can’t say how much of it is lost to age, and how much of it was altered from the shifting timelines and changing reality.

“From what I was able to piece together in Raiden’s library,” he continued. “Long ago, in the great darkness before existence, there were only the Elder Gods and … something else. An entity. A being. The Elder Gods shattered this being, and in doing so, created the realms and life on them. They did it with a weapon called the Kamidogu.

“Afterward, they split the Kamidogu into six pieces and hid one on each of the six keystone realms: Earth, Outworld, Edenia, the Netherealm, Seido, and the Chaosrealm. The Kamidogu, put back together, is an engine of unspeakable power. Power that forged reality itself.”

Kitana exchanged a look with Mileena. In their years serving Shao Kahn, they had both encountered obscure cults that claimed to worship … something. Something they said made the fabric of reality. During one such encounter, she recalled a cultist saying something that made little sense to her at the time, but chilled her blood thinking of it now:

_We are but the dream of one being_. _It seeks to wake_.

“So,” Mileena said. “Onaga … you’re saying he’s found the Kamidogu?”

“He has sought it for millennia,” Ermac said. “Through multiple timelines. This might not even be the first time he’s acquired the six pieces.”

“I remember,” Sareena said. “When I was in the Netherealm, there were rumors. Some cultists looking for a relic that had been found by an old man. Everyone was so focused on Liu Kang and Kitana’s revenants, I didn’t think much of it.”

“Yes,” Havik said. “And thanks to Raiden’s efforts to prevent Armageddon, no one kept the Dragon King from finding the Kamidogu. With all eyes focused on Kronika’s attempt to create a new age, no one stopped his resurrection.”

Kitana stood up and paced around. All of it made her stomach churn. To have reality itself remade around her—to close her eyes one moment and wake up in a completely different world and history. And just the idea this happened under everyone’s noses. It made her wonder what other threats were out there, forgotten to the constant rewriting of history.

“What can we do?” she asked. “Do you have a plan?”

“Based on my readings,” Havik said. “There’s only one likely place Onaga would be doing this: the Nexus—a realm outside the realms. It is the center of all things. The Kamidogu’s power will be at its most potent there.”

“So, we get to the Nexus, and we …” She trailed off, uncertain how to finish. Fight the Dragon King? How could they fight a being that can remake reality as he sees fit?

“Shinnok’s Amulet is the key. It activates the Kamidogu like a trigger. If we can get that, we have a chance.”

From a darkened corner of the cottage, Shang Tsung began to laugh. “A chance for what? Assuming you even get close to the Amulet, what then? You people don’t really think you can use the Kamidogu against Onaga, do you?”

The idea hadn’t occurred to Kitana. She couldn’t imagine trying to bend such a weapon to her will. But looking at Havik, and the hesitance in his eyes, she saw controlling the Kamidogu had at least crossed his mind. She then looked at Shang Tsung, and imagining him controlling it chilled her blood.

“Don’t look at me like that, Princess,” he said, sneering. “I’m not going anywhere near the Dragon King or his weapon.”

She blinked at him, honestly surprised. She looked at the others, and they all seemed to be as well. It was Ermac who voiced their thoughts: “You expect us to believe that, sorcerer? You, who came so close to controlling the Hourglass? As if you wouldn’t kill for the chance to reshape the realms however you please?”

“Of course I would,” he replied. “But consider what we are dealing with. We are talking about a device made by the Elder Gods to be used by the Elder Gods. A device that forged reality itself. It will certainly kill any one of us if we tried to use it.”

“Even you?” Mileena asked.

“If I had time,” he said. “Time to study it, understand its power … _maybe_ , with my sorcery, I could wield it. Time I won’t have if the Dragon King is bearing down on me. Make no mistake, this Kamidogu—if the legends are true—was not meant for mortal hands.” He took a swig of the wine he was drinking. “Which should also give you an indication of Onaga’s power if _he_ is wielding it.”

On that, another earthquake tore through the land—longer and more violent than any previous one. Kitana and her companions clung to whatever they could to keep their balance. Shelves in Bo’ Rai Cho’s home fell over, a ceiling beam cracked, and in the cellar, multiple wine bottles crashed onto the floor.

When the shaking finally stopped, they all looked at one another, and their collective dread was palpable.

“And he wields it imperfectly,” Ermac said. “Shang Tsung is right. None of us can dare risk using the Kamidogu. Our goal should be getting the Amulet away. Even if Onaga is too strong to face in combat, at least reality won’t tear itself apart.”

“That means this reality is the one we’ll have going forward,” Sareena said. “If we can stop him from rewriting it any more than he already has, then this is it—for better or worse.”

Kitana thought about it, and her immediate reaction was relief. Unless Onaga changed things even more before it was over, she could still have Edenia and her parents. Jade would still have her family. That wouldn’t be so terrible.

But she looked to Mileena and Scorpion and realized they wouldn’t come out as good.

“Scorpion,” Sareena said. “Are you … I mean, you—”

“My wife and son still live,” he said. “If I must remain a spectre … it’s a fair price.”

“Mileena,” said Kitana. “What about you?”

“I told you I’m not Edenian,” she replied. “This is what I am.”

She gulped down some wine, and though she sounded certain, Kitana heard the pain in her voice.

“Then we shouldn’t delay,” Ermac said. “The longer we wait, the more chance Onaga will change things or even reset reality from scratch. We’ll rest for the night, and then we go to the Nexus. Shang Tsung can open a portal there.”

“If you wish to march to your deaths, be my guests,” Tsung said.

Ermac’s eyes narrowed, and though masked, it was clear he scowled at the sorcerer. “Loathe as we are to say it,” he said. “We will need all the help we can get fighting Onaga.”

“Yes, you will. Pity it won’t include me,” he said. “You said it yourself: I am immune to Onaga’s tampering with reality because I am ‘unnatural.’ He can change things as much as he wants—clearly, I won’t be affected.”

“He still considers you a threat,” Sareena said. “He’ll send more assassins.”

“Not when he realizes I have no interest in fighting him. I’ll simply go my own way, and eventually the Dragon King will realize I pose no danger to his utopia. Live and let live, as the Earthrealmers tend to say.”

Kitana frowned—sickened that Shang Tsung was even present. Her thoughts returned to the Sea of Blood and the chain of disaster that led to it. Her anger grew as she understood that he was at the heart of it all.

“How do we know you won’t betray us to Onaga to save your own skin?” she demanded. “How do we know this isn’t one big trap?”

He sneered. “I realize you’re late to the group, Princess, but Onaga’s agents have been attempting to kill me since this started. He’s made it quite clear he has no use for me.”

“You think I would believe a single damn word that comes out of your mouth?” she snapped. “You think I haven’t put together that everything that happened on the Sea of Blood was your doing? You didn’t resurrect my mother just so she could fight Cetrion. You knew what would happen!”

“Ah,” he said. “I did indeed resurrect your mother knowing she would restore Shao Kahn. And yes, I needed them to breach Kronika’s defenses. But you overestimate me, Kitana. What happened to you … well, that was more your parents’ idea. I would’ve been just as content to siege the Keep without your humiliation.”

In a flash, her fans were drawn. Her blood boiled listening to him treat what happened so lightly—as if her suffering and the suffering of her loved ones was merely incidental.

“Spare me your indignation,” he said. “None of it would’ve happened at all if not for your beloved anyway.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

He took another sip of wine, looking at her with an eyebrow cocked. He let it sit in his mouth a moment before a knowing smirk came to him.

“Oh, that’s right,” he said. “You wouldn’t know.”

“Know what?”

“This might be difficult to follow,” he began. “As it involves time travel, but bear with me.

“Allow me to tell you what actually happened. Shortly before the assault on Kronika’s Keep, Raiden passed his power and god-hood to Liu Kang knowing that was the only way he could match Kronika.

“You led your armies—with Queen Sheeva and her Shokan by your side—to the Keep and fought you way inside with the new Fire God. There, the Chosen One faced Kronika and defeated her, gaining control of the Hourglass. Congratulations, Princess … you won!”

He chuckled to himself as he took another sip, and Kitana felt a chill in her blood.

“But,” he continued. “In order to use the Hourglass, he needed Kronika’s crown which was destroyed in the battle. After her death, I was released from the void, and I offered to go back in time with Fujin and Nightwolf to steal the crown. And … well, you know the rest.”

“What’s your point, sorcerer?” she asked. “So, you lied and deceived Liu Kang in one timeline in order to lie and deceive the rest of us in another.”

“So I thought. As you heard, I betrayed your mother and father and took their souls. You’re welcome, by the way. I then defeated Kronika. With their power and the crown in my control, the Hourglass was mine.”

His smirk curdled slightly. Though he relished telling this story, he seemed to also hate this next part.

“That was when Liu Kang—the Fire God I had left behind—appeared. As it turned out, when I offered to retrieve Kronika’s crown, he looked into the Hourglass and foresaw only I could use it to defeat her.” His smirk then turned into a cruel grin. “He knew what I would do and what would happen. But he allowed it to transpire anyway because he needed me to win.”

Kitana hesitated—taking in what he said and its implications. She then scoffed at him. “I don’t believe you.”

“Give me credit, Princess. If I was to lie, I would’ve come up with something more believable than this. But it’s true: your beloved Chosen One saw what would happen and deemed it necessary. He saw your defeat and suffering. He saw the deaths of your friends and allies.

“… and he let it happen.”

She told herself it was a lie. A cruel mockery meant to turn her against Liu. But dread slowly crept into her gut. Earlier, he admitted to Liu defeating him without cause—he couldn’t have known he would tell this story later.

More than that, Jade’s words echoed in her mind: _We won that battle, and someone or something took it from us!_

“No,” she said. “He … he wouldn’t do that …”

“He did,” he said. “His rationalization for it was he would simply rewrite history and you wouldn’t remember any of it. I guess that was supposed to make it okay. Pity Onaga interfered with that plan.”

“You’re lying!”

“It must hurt, Princess. That despite all his sweet words and noble platitudes, your wellbeing is a distant second to his victory. I have to say, he certainly took to god-hood quickly—using mortals and those who trust him as pawns. Such how it is with gods and Earthrealmers. Your pain and trauma, though tragic, is abstract. Something to mourn, but not worth losing sleep over.”

Kitana said nothing, shaking with anger and teeth clenched.

“In the end, your beloved hero condemned you, Raiden, Fujin, the Cages, Jade, Kotal, Kung Lao … and his past self no less. Even I thought that was rather cold.”

“That’s enough,” Ermac said. “You made your point.”

It took everything in her not to scream and lash out. Her heart pounding and breathing heavy, she turned and started to walk away before she did something rash. She then heard a strange noise with a brief flicker of light. When she looked back, her eyes widened upon seeing Liu Kang’s face staring back at her.

“Trust me, Kitana,” the sorcerer said with Liu’s face and voice. “You can trust me. I would never let anything happen to you.” He grinned. “And I would never, ever hurt you.”

She snarled and lunged at him. Scorpion and Sareena held her back, and even Ermac stepped in between them. She pushed and thrashed, wanting nothing more than to destroy that evil, laughing face.

“Let me kill him,” she insisted. “Just let me kill him …”

Tsung returned to his regular form, still laughing. He then offered a mocking bow and walked away.

Kitana at last gave up and stormed outside, holding back tears and struggling not to throw up.

**End of Chapter XII**


	13. Kindred

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the eve of battle, lost souls look to each other.

The night turned cool outside Bo’ Rai Cho’s home. No moon was visible, and where Outworld skies were usually deep shades of purple or red, tonight it was solid black that left the land in shadow. To look out the window, it almost seemed as if the rest of the world had disappeared, leaving only the cottage and those inside.

Scorpion stood by the fireplace, staring at the dying embers. He’d forgotten how different it was being a spectre compared to a mortal man. He felt detached and distant, as if he existed in his own private bubble separate from his companions, yet also volatile and raw. The old anger was back, like an exposed nerve, and the familiar fire burned inside.

It was a cruel joke to have been Hanzo Hasashi again. To have the briefest taste of the life he’d lost, just for it to be taken from him again. A part of him had known he was living on borrowed time. Since waking up in this new world, he suspected deep down it would be taken back any moment.

But expectation didn’t soften the blow. He got so caught up in helping Sareena and learning the truth of what happened that when it finally hit, he was blindsided all the same.

Quan Chi often tempted him with false promises of restoring his life. Kronika tried to sway him with the same. Hadn’t even Raiden made a similar offer once? Somehow, actually getting what he wanted just for it to be torn away was much worse. Quan Chi, Kronika … now Onaga … how many more times must he have his pain and torment exploited? How much longer must Harumi and Satoshi be dangled out of reach before his eyes?

He clenched his fist and reached out with the rage inside him. The embers in the fireplace rekindled. The flames grew, and as the image of his beloved wife and son flashed in his mind, the fire billowed as if fuel was thrown on it.

“Scorpion.”

So caught in his anger, he nearly punched the person behind him. Though if Sareena knew how close she came to being struck, she didn’t let on. She might have even expected it. He held himself in check with a sting of shame and turned away from her. “What do you want?”

“I just spoke with Ermac,” she said. “I asked him if what happened to you could be Onaga. That maybe he was punishing you for …” She paused. “For resisting him.”

“What of it?”

“He said it was possible, but he didn’t believe so,” she replied. “He feels if Onaga was capable of making that kind of change at any moment, he would do more than just revert you to a sprecte. He suggested what happened was more of reality unravelling. Like the earthquakes.”

Scorpion said nothing. It didn’t really matter if it was mere chance or Onaga’s deliberate action. It amounted to the same thing either way. Harumi and Satoshi were alive—or at least he hoped they still were—but gone to him once again. Could he even bear his wife and son to see the thing he was now?

“It still doesn’t make me feel better,” Sareena said. When he turned to her, he was struck by how distressed she looked. “I can’t help but feel I had something to do with it. If you had handed me over to Ashrah … or maybe if I hadn’t gone to you at all … maybe you would still be …”

Clarity came to him, as if his anger was a thick fog he managed to see through. How quickly he started to wallow in his rage and self-pity did he forget who he was. It was that exact blindness that allowed Quan Chi to manipulate him for so long.

“No,” he said. “No, I made my choice. I knew there would be risk.”

He focused his thoughts, pushing away the old anger that had driven and controlled him, and remembered what it was to be Hanzo Hasashi. Not just alive, but a man who could do what was right. He may be a spectre again, but he could still hold onto his humanity.

“I knew from the start there would be a price for having my wife and son back. If this is it, then so be it. What’s important is we stop Onaga before any more damage is done.”

She seemed to take comfort in that. “I know I told you already,” she said. “But thank you for believing me. I … I know what I am. I know where I come from. It does mean a lot to me to have someone’s trust.”

She smiled and left him to get some rest. Scorpion closed his eyes and kept his focus. He remembered how his future self had urged him to let go of his rage and clung to that. Too much was at stake to let his judgment be clouded by his own pain.

And after all, he reminded himself, he wasn’t alone in this either.

* * *

Kitana sat shaking on the porch outside Bo’ Rai Cho’s home, though it had nothing to do with the cold air. Her head throbbed from holding back her tears, and she held it tight like it would split open. The darkness surrounding her came as a strange comfort—almost as if the world beyond disappeared and she was allowed a moment in isolation.

She told herself it was a lie. A cruel story Shang Tsung crafted to make up for his own defeat and turn her against Liu. Because Liu would never do anything like that. He would never stand by and allow her and their allies to suffer as they had … even if it was for some greater good. He would never—not Liu Kang. He would find a better way.

Just like her mother would never betray her.

“You look like you could use one of these.”

She turned to see Scorpion offering one of Bo’ Rai Cho’s wine bottles. She hesitated—finding it surreal the undead spectre would offer comfort or sympathy—and almost declined. She never was much for drinking.

But, thinking it over, perhaps she had earned it? She accepted the bottle and popped the cork with her fan. The wine was warm and bittersweet, and just a single sip was indeed soothing and welcome.

“Thank you,” she said. “I’d share, but I’m not sure if you can drink.”

“I can’t. Thanks anyway.”

She took another sip as he leaned against the porch railing with his arms crossed. Though it was hard to tell with his mask, his mood seemed somber. “You,” she said. “You were still … er, human earlier, right? Had Onaga not granted you your desires, too?”

“He did. I was returned to life along with my wife and son.”

“Was that all you wanted? I’m sorry, but … and I mean no disrespect … I don’t really know much about you.”

“No offense taken,” he replied. “To be honest … and I mean no disrespect either … I never paid much thought to you.”

“Fair,” she said with a chuckle. “It’s funny we’ve been doing this for so for long and yet so rarely have crossed paths.”

“I imagine for someone who’s lived as long as you, an Earthrealmer’s life is a drop in the ocean.”

She nodded but felt a little sad at the thought. It was true that through her long life the memory of only a small handful of Earthrealmers stayed with her. And of those few, most were as her enemy, for her loyalty to Shao Kahn took up much of her millennia.

Sometimes—in private moments, when she allowed herself to hope—she thought it romantic the man she came to love would be an Earthrealmer who gained immortality. Maybe even destiny.

Thinking of Liu made Shang Tsung’s words echo in her mind. She shuddered and took a swig of wine. “So who are you, Scorpion of Earthrealm?” she asked, hoping to get her mind off it. “What brought you to the Mortal Kombat tournament?”

“I entered the tournament seeking revenge,” he said. “In life, I was Hanzo Hasashi—a ninja of the Shirai Ryu clan. Thanks to the machinations of Quan Chi, I was murdered by Sub-Zero, and my family and clan were butchered. I avenged my own death, but it wouldn’t be until later I learned of Quan Chi’s role.”

“And now you seek vengeance against him?”

“I did. Though I suppose that is at an end. Even without Onaga erasing the sorcerer from existence, apparently my future self already killed him.”

She nodded and shivered at the realization that even without Onaga, time and space had been left in shambles by Kronika. Scorpion, like her, were left adrift in a future they didn’t understand. At least his counterpart managed to make a better life. From what she heard, hers died in disgrace and wound up an embittered revenant.

“What will you do now?” she asked. “What were you planning to do after you killed him?”

“I don’t know. For now, I only hope we can stop the Dragon King before anything else can change. As difficult as it may be to bear, I believe I can endure like this if I know my family is alive and safe.”

His stared into the distance, and his eyes softened. She knew he felt the same unspoken fear she did: what if they fail?

“What about you?” he asked. “Who are you, Kitana of Outworld? Or was it someplace else?”

“Edenia,” she replied. “My true home was a realm Shao Kahn conquered through the Mortal Kombat tournament shorty after I was born. He killed my …” She hesitated, remembering Sindel actually killed her father. “My parents died, and Kahn took me as his own.

“To this day,” she continued. “I don’t know why. He’s said it was to placate my mother. Some have said it was to legitimize his claim to the throne. Maybe it was just for cruelty’s sake, nothing more.”

She took another gulp of wine and left unsaid the possibility that maybe he truly wanted her as his daughter. He had kept her, raised her, and had her trained. For ten thousand years he was her father. Was it all just an insult? A symbol of his domination over Edenia?

But he favored her, even after Mileena was created. And there was a time … maybe lost to Raiden and Kronika’s interference … but she remembered he wanted her back after she turned on him.

“I served my step-father for most of my life. I’ve done … terrible things in his name. Unforgivable things. When I learned the truth … about him, my family, all of it … I swore I would end Shao Kahn’s rule. Restore my home and avenge my family and people. I would … I wanted to make things right.”

She shuddered again and felt the tears come. Her head throbbed and heart ached. She resisted with another swig of wine. She didn’t want to cry or burden Scorpion of all people with her woes. But the more she fought, the more she felt she would fall apart like broken glass.

Why must everything go so wrong? Her mother betrayed her. Sheeva let her down. Liu allowed her to suffer. How much more betrayal and disappointment must she endure? Was it even worth hoping they could stop Onaga before Edenia was ruined again?

“You can speak,” Scorpion said. “It does no good to keep the pain inside. It’ll burn your soul if you let it.”

“I just don’t know what I’m fighting for anymore,” she said. “I don’t know if you were present at the Sea of Blood, but my mother … it was a lie. All these years, I’ve fought for the memory of my family and … and that’s who she really is?

“I’m fighting for a realm I’ve never seen. Parents I never knew. People who renounced me when I was at my lowest. And it feels like … like no matter what I do, I can’t make it better—as if I’m struggling against the current. Every victory I achieve is robbed from me. Every time I try to trust, I’m betrayed.”

She put the bottle down and pressed her palms into her eyes with a pained moan.

“Sometimes it’s like I’m not being punished for the things I did in Shao Kahn’s name. I’m being punished for even trying to make it right.”

Silence came between them. There wasn’t even a breeze. The trees, indistinguishable from the black sky above, were as still as the grave. The air was cold, and if they had somehow fallen into some abyss, Kitana wouldn’t have been surprised. She might have even welcomed it.

“I’ve been asking myself,” Scorpion said. “Why did we retain our memories? Havik and the others slipped through the cracks. But you and I were both remade in Onaga’s new world and remembered everything. Why us?”

It hadn’t occurred to her since this started to wonder why she saw through Onaga’s dream reality. It seemed most, like Mileena or Sheeva, accepted the world around them until their memories were jogged. Others, like Jade, might remember but still accepted it. But she never believed from the start, and apparently, neither did Scorpion.

“When I first woke up here,” he continued. “All I could think was something was wrong. At every turn, I was convinced Quan Chi would reveal himself or some other terrible price would have to be paid.”

“So did I,” she said. “They told me it was all a bad dream and that my memories would come to me, but … I couldn’t believe any of it. As you say, at every turn I expected some horrible revelation or trap.”

She looked at him, and his eyes met hers. For a moment, the Edenian Princess and ninja spectre understood each other.

“We’ve both lost much,” he said. “You and I both have suffered too much pain and had that pain used against us. It changes a person.”

“And is that what we are? Too broken to accept a perfect world?”

“We are truly the chosen, aren’t we?”

She laughed, though more out of shock Scorpion actually made a joke. He didn’t laugh—she wondered if he was even capable—but his cold, distant demeanor softened somewhat. It was a strange thing, she thought, to find comfort and comradery in this man she’d been aware of for so long but had never truly spoken to.

“Did you want it?” she asked. “Did you at any point want to accept this world and believe there was no trap or awful price?”

“More than anything.”

She nodded. “I’m ashamed to admit … sometimes I wish I had just stayed asleep.”

“I thought you saw through this from the start?”

“No,” she said. “I mean learning about Shao Kahn. Sometimes I wish … that when I discovered the truth I had walked away. Just put it aside, out of my mind, and go on as if nothing was different.”

It had been Mileena that started it. She served Kahn for thousands of years, just to be introduced to her “long lost twin sister.” That began her search for answers that led to her discovering the truth about Edenia.

In another timeline, she didn’t learn the truth until the Outworld tournament—when Raiden directed her to Shang Tsung’s Flesh Pit. Perhaps that was critical difference between her and her revenant—that timeline’s Kitana learned the truth too late?

“I understand your despair,” Scorpion said. “I do. But my family and clan lives. Your Edenia remains free. And if we succeed, they’ll stay that way. That is real. That is worth fighting for.” He looked at her, and though his eyes were ghostly white and face hidden behind a mask, she saw his humanity there. “If there’s one thing we have in common, Kitana, it’s that we’ve kept fighting for what we love in spite of everything.”

“But what if we fail? What if we stop Onaga, but … something goes wrong?”

He sighed, and she saw he had no answer. In a way, she almost appreciated that. He wouldn’t offer her meaningless platitudes or false promises. He had as much to lose as she did, and he knew if the battle went ill, he would be as lost as her.

“There was a time,” he said. “After I took my revenge on Sub-Zero, but before I learned the truth about Quan Chi, I sought to regain my lost honor. It led to me to protecting Sub-Zero’s brother. It even led to my fighting alongside Raiden’s forces.

“I remember now,” he continued. “The longer I am a spectre, the more I lose the man I was. The rage grows, and my humanity dwindles. I don’t know what I will do if the worst should happen tomorrow. But I can’t lose myself again.” He sighed. “I suppose I’ll just have to find some other way. Keep fighting. It’s all I know how to do.”

“I don’t know if I can,” she said. “I’ve fought for so long. I don’t know how many more times it can all be snatched away from me.”

“If it’s absolution you seek for the things you did for Shao Kahn, consider there might be other ways of finding it. Ways that won’t demand you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders.”

The night was late, and Kitana felt the wine start to hit. She took one last swig and stood up to go back inside. She couldn’t say she felt better about anything, but she took some comfort in knowing she wasn’t the only one hurting.

“Scorpion,” she said, stopping at the door. “Whatever happens … I hope your family remains safe. I hope you find peace, whatever it may be.”

“And may you find the peace you seek as well, your highness.”

* * *

Sareena looked for a place to rest, though she wasn’t sure how much sleep she’d get. She’d seen her share of combat and fought plenty of the Netherealm’s worst, but what was to come was unlike anything she’d ever known. It was surreal to even think she of all people would be among the few warriors to defend reality from the Dragon King.

As she headed to the back of the cottage, she noted her allies. Behind her, Scorpion took a bottle of wine and joined Kitana outside. Havik had fashioned himself a make-shift bed of the sheets covering Bo’ Rai Cho’s furniture and was snoring loudly on the floor. Ermac continued his meditations, hovering a few feet above the floor. Mileena was speaking to him, though she didn’t hear and paid no mind.

“It’s almost endearing how hard you try.”

She entered the darkened dojo in the back and found Shang Tsung sitting in the shadows with his bottle of wine. Or maybe he opened a fresh one, she wasn’t sure.

“What’s that?” she asked.

“The way you ingratiate yourself to them,” he said. “So eager to prove you’re not like the rest of your kind.”

“I’m a little surprised you’re even still here. I thought you said you weren’t going to fight the Dragon King?”

“I’m not,” he said, taking a sip. “But I’ll open a portal to the Nexus. I suppose it would be preferable if you people won, but it’s all the same to me.”

She huffed and leaned against the wall with her arms crossed. “So even in the face of oblivion,” she said. “Shang Tsung can’t be bothered to do the noble thing just once.”

“‘Noble thing,’” he repeated with a dismissive chuckle. “You’ve been around these mortals too long. Tell me: do you think if you survive this, you’ll get a reward? A pat on the head? Will they give you a treat, like a good little dog?”

“It’s so unbelievable to you, isn’t it? You can’t comprehend even the idea I—or anyone I bet—would just want to help others.”

“Altruism is a delusion at best. A sickness at worst. But, fine, demon. What is so special about Sub-Zero that inspires such undying loyalty? Indulge me. What is it about the ice ninja that makes you so dedicated to do ‘good?’”

“He was _kind_ to me.”

She hesitated, thinking there should be more to it than that, but it was the truth.

“Bi-Han spared my life once, and yes, I just wanted to escape the Netherealm. But his brother … he took me in. He gave me sanctuary despite what I was. I know Raiden warned him befriending a demon doesn’t come without risk, but he helped me anyway.

“For most of my existence,” she continued. “I’ve known nothing but the Netherealm. Pain, horror, torture, cruelty … and that was even before I was damned to the 5th Plane. But Sub-Zero … that was the first time anyone has ever been kind to me.”

Tsung smirked and offered a mocking clap. “Touching, demon. Truly. A mere moment’s pity, and you’re ready to throw your life away. But make no mistake: if you die tomorrow, you won’t be missed. Not even your precious Sub-Zero will pay you more than a passing thought.”

She frowned but said nothing in response. She could insist Kuai Liang cared about her. She could point out how Scorpion helped her. But she knew it would fall on deaf ears. The only real question, she supposed, was if Shang Tsung believed it or was just antagonizing her for his own amusement.

“You don’t have to die,” he said. “Onaga’s tinkering affects you no more than it affects me.”

“I’m not a coward.”

“No. You’re a survivor. You did what you needed to endure the Netherealm, and you did what you needed to escape. You’re a demon—no one expects anything from you. Treachery perhaps … but not a single person here is relying on you to make a difference.”

She held herself. “You think I don’t know that? I know what I am, and I know what they all think of me.” She looked at the darkened dojo that smelled of age and dust and wondered how many warriors and heroes Bo’ Rai Cho had trained through the ages. “I’m no hero.”

“ _But you wish you were_ ,” he said, leaning forward. “You can say it over and over, but I see the truth of you. You wish you were counted among the legends of Mortal Kombat. You dream of standing with the great heroes and champions. You want to be remembered as one of the chosen defenders.” He took a swig of wine and finished, “Yes, you are no being of Light, Sareena. But you so wish you were.”

She meant to deny it. To hear it spoken aloud, it sounded childish and absurd. Yet she felt exposed and ashamed all the same. Since coming to Earthrealm, hadn’t she dreamed of being the great hero? Proving those that doubted her wrong, but more importantly, proving those that believed in her right? To be counted alongside the likes of Sub-Zero, Liu Kang, Kitana, and so many others?

“A pretty dream,” he said. “But that’s all it is. Even if by some miracle you survive tomorrow’s battle, they won’t have you.”

“So what would you have me do?” she asked. “If I turned my back on them, where would I go?”

“You could come with me.”

She expected to see a mocking glint in his eye or sarcastic sneer. But his face was solemn, and he sat slouched in his chair with the wine bottle on his lap. He wouldn’t even look her in the eye.

“I am not Quan Chi,” he said. “Nor am I Shao Kahn. I could be … kind. To you.”

She stared at him, stunned. His tone was awkward and not his usual snide style. She sensed no lying or deceit in him. He actually meant it.

“You don’t even know how.”

“We’re both survivors,” he said. “We could do well together. I could teach you better ways to maintain your human form. Make you stronger.” He hesitated, and to her surprise, he actually attempted to come across as genuine. “I could … think of worse companions.”

“What a pair we’d make,” she said. “Two demons, feeding off the world, and with not a care for anyone or anything.” She shook her head. “Empty and cold.”

He frowned. “I offer you life. I offer power. Companionship. And you have the gall to turn me away. For them?!”

“You mock me for wanting to be a part of their world,” she said. “To be accepted. As if you’re different? You think I don’t see what you really want?”

“Bah,” he scoffed. “What do you know of anything?”

“We are demons. You may not have been born in the Netherealm, but we are kin, Shang Tsung. We were born empty. So we crave. We hunger. And we try so hard to find something to fill it. You want life, you want to feel … _you want what they have_.

“And you hate Earthrealm and its gods and champions because they denied you that,” she continued. “So you can dress yourself in your fancy clothes, and construct massive palaces, and live on your private island with all its riches, and you can gobble up soul after soul for all time, but none of it will fill that cold empty place where our own souls are supposed to be.”

He sat back with his bottle of wine, a scowl on his face. She almost expected him to hit her or throw it at her. “You won’t fill it either,” he said. “You kill yourself for nothing.”

“Maybe,” she said. “All I know is meeting Kuai Liang was the first time in my life I ever felt true warmth.”

She let out a light laugh at the irony of it. _A man who controlled ice made me warm_.

“And that’s worth the risk.”

He frowned with a sigh and sank into his chair slightly. “Have it your way,” he said. “Throw your life away on meaningless heroics. And even if you survive, you’ll only condemn yourself to further pain and disappointment.” He stood up and left the dojo, but not before adding, “You don’t need to believe me. Just ask the Princess.”

**End of Chapter XIII**


	14. Judgment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Onaga makes his final offer.

The sky turned red come sunrise—a deep shade of maroon that looked like an infected wound. As far as Sareena knew, that was considered an ill omen on most realms. On Earthrealm, she understood it meant a storm on the horizon. In Outworld, people believed a red sky meant blood had been spilled or was going to be. In Seido, a red sky warned of approaching upheaval.

In the Netherealm, red skies usually meant Shinnok was angry. There were few things that frightened her and her comrades more than getting summoned to meet the Elder God under a blood-red sky. It was not uncommon for him to take out his anger on his demon subjects.

Anticipating the battle ahead, she almost would’ve preferred Shinnok’s wrath. She and her companions gathered outside Bo’ Rai Cho’s home and waited while Shang Tsung summoned a portal to the Nexus. There, they would face the Dragon King head on—a demon, a spectre, a princess and her clone, a Cleric of Chaos, and a construct of dead souls against a creature wielding a weapon of the gods that could change reality.

“Why did you turn against Quan Chi?”

She looked at Kitana, who seemed as calm as could be expected. “Excuse me?”

“I’m sure you have plenty of reasons to hate him,” she said, checking her fans. “The man was a bastard and fiend. But you didn’t just escape. You turned and fight with us now. Why?”

She thought about it, knowing the long answer would require her to talk of Sub-Zero and his kindness again. She decided to keep it simple: “I don’t want to be what people say I am.”

Kitana smiled and nodded.

“What about you? Why did you turn against Shao Kahn?”

Her smile wavered slightly, and there was a hint of sadness in her eyes. “I wanted to make things right.”

Sareena nodded and noticed Shang Tsung watching her. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking, but judging from his scowl, he likely regarded her and Kitana’s interaction with contempt. But he said nothing and returned his attention to summoning a portal. Waving his hands in circular motions while chanting magic words, a swirling vortex soon cracked open with the sound of thunder.

“How do we know this will take us to the Nexus?” Ermac said, approaching the portal.

“Where else would I possibly send you?” When he was answered with nothing but suspicious glares, he groaned. “I have nothing to gain from betraying you here. In fact, it would actually be preferable to me if you imbeciles succeeded. This will take you to the Nexus, and I’ll even leave it open so if by some miracle you get the Amulet you’ll have an escape. You have my word even though I know none of you trust it.”

Another earthquake tore through the realm—the worst one yet. The ground heaved and broke. More than one tree toppled over. One even landed on Bo’ Rai Cho’s roof. In the distance, a rockslide rolled down the mountains. The land itself growled and gnashed like an agitated beast. It did nothing to ease the sense of dread and coming doom.

Steadying himself, Tsung said, “I suggest you hurry.”

One by one, they entered the portal. Ermac first, followed by Havik. Scorpion next, then Kitana and Mileena.

Sareena took a breath. The kama blades strapped to her belt felt small and inadequate. She believed in destiny—she knew enough about gods and sorcerers to know it could be manipulated—but never thought she herself had one. She thought destiny was only reserved for chosen ones and great heroes.

“Good-bye, demon.”

She looked at Tsung and knew it was a taunt. As far as he was concerned, she was going to her death.

“Something to understand about my power,” he said, looking at his nails. “You see all beings for who they truly are. When you consume someone’s soul … when it becomes a part of you, as the souls I’ve taken are a part of me … you know their truth.” He turned his eyes to her. “They’re all the same, Sareena. If you saw what I’ve seen, you would not be so eager to give your life for them.”

“You know the difference between us, demon?” she asked. “Quan Chi called me a monster, and I wanted to prove him wrong. The gods called you a monster … and you accepted it.”

Without waiting for his rebuttal, she entered the portal. If she did have a destiny, she was about to meet it.

After the usual flash and crack that felt like walking through freezing electricity, she came through on the other side to an awe-inspiring sight. The Nexus was an endless void of empty space with swirling clouds as far as the eye could see. It seemed to exist in a perpetual twilight of pink, purple, and golden hues.

She and her companions emerged on a stone platform floating in the empty space. The floors were cobblestone, and torchlights lined the edge. She couldn’t tell how large the platform was, as most of it was taken up by a massive pyramid that towered over them all. The imposing structure consisted of seven or eight levels with a stairway up the center leading to the apex.

The group quickly hugged the nearest wall for cover—Ermac, Scorpion and Sareena on one side of the stairs, Havik, Kitana and Mileena on the other. They heard no alarm or signal of attack. The only sound was the constant, hollow wind of the void around them.

Havik peeked around the side of the wall, up the stairway. “I don’t see anyone,” he said. “No guards—nothing.”

“That doesn’t mean we’re alone,” Scorpion said. “Onaga could have an entire army in this pyramid waiting for us.”

Ermac looked toward the apex where multiple columns stood with pulsing, rainbow-colored lights shining atop. “The Kamidogu,” he said. “One piece on each of those columns. The Amulet is likely in the center.”

“With Onaga no doubt,” said Kitana.

“We move up one level at a time to the apex. Quickly. Be ready for anything.”

At Havik’s signal, they sprinted up the first section of stairs and quickly took cover at the next level. Looking around, Sareena found no entrances but knew that was misleading. Doors and passages could be hidden throughout the structure, and at any moment, legions of Shokan or Zaterrans or Seidans—or all of them—could spew out.

As they made their way to the next level, a strange sense of familiarity came to her. She’d never seen the pyramid before, but something about racing up one level to the next struck her with a terrible chill like someone walked over her grave. It felt like sprinting to doom.

“I SEE YOU.”

On reflex, each fighter pressed their backs to the wall and drew whatever weapons they had. Heart pounding, Sareena looked from side to side, expecting to find enemy fighters surrounding them.

“I HAVE WATCHED YOU.”

His voice was a mighty bellow that shook the pyramid itself. It echoed around them so loud the Dragon King could’ve been standing right over them. It was a voice that could move mountains and stop rivers. A voice that could break bones. It reminded her of Shinnok when he was in his rage.

She gulped and peeked over the side and saw at the apex the silhouette of a monstrous being thick with muscle, horns like a crown, and demonic wings. Although she could only make out his outline, she saw glowing orange eyes that made her want to shrink away and hide.

“WE NEEDN’T BE ENEMIES. I BEAR YOU NO ILL WILL FOR COMING HERE. DO NOT MISTAKE ME FOR THE LIKES OF SHAO KAHN OR SHINNOK. I DESIRE ONLY PEACE.”

Havik groaned. “We need to split up,” he said. “He knows we’re here. Our best chance of getting the Amulet is coming at him from different angles.”

“We and you should approach him from the front,” Ermac said. “Draw his attention to us. Scorpion and Sareena will make their way up from one side. Kitana and Mileena try the other.”

“YOU THINK ME MAD,” the Dragon King continued. “I DO NOT BLAME YOU. YOU LOOK AT ME AND SEE ANOTHER MEGALOMANIAC TRYING TO BEND TIME AND REALITY TO HIS WILL. HOW SAD IS IT THAT I’M NOT THE FIRST OR ONLY TO TRY?

“WE ARE ALL VICTIMS, MY FRIENDS. WE HAVE ALL BEEN USED AS THE PLAYTHINGS OF INSANE TITANS AND CORRUPT GODS. I WIELD THE KAMIDOGU NOT TO DOMINATE OR ENSLAVE, BUT TO GRANT ALL OF YOU THE WORLD WE DESIRE. NAY … _DESERVE_.

“LIKE YOU … KITANA OF EDENIA, DAUGHTER OF JERROD AND SINDEL. I TOOK PITY ON YOU, FOR I UNDERSTAND YOUR PAIN BETTER THAN YOU THINK. I KNOW WHAT IT IS TO BE LIED TO AND BETRAYED. I KNOW WHAT IT IS TO WATCH AS EVERYTHING YOU’VE WORKED AND STRUGGLED FOR IS TORN AWAY AND RUINED. _I KNOW WHAT IT IS TO SUFFER BECAUSE OF SHAO KAHN_.”

Though she was silent, Sareena saw Kitana pale and shiver.

“OUTWORLD WAS BEAUTIFUL ONCE,” Onaga said. “PEACEFUL AND JUST UNDER MY RULE. BUT I, TOO, WAS BETRAYED. I, TOO, HAD IT STOLEN FROM ME BY SHAO KAHN. AND I WATCHED, HELPLESS, AS HE TURNED MY WORLD … MY KINGDOM … INTO THE MACABRE, WAR-TORN WASTELAND IT IS NOW.

“I WOULD GIVE YOU THE LIFE YOU DESERVE, MY LADY. A LIFE OF PEACE WITH THE FATHER YOU SHOULD’VE HAD. THE MOTHER YOU ARE _SUPPOSED_ TO HAVE. THE MOTHER YOU _DID_ HAVE UNTIL RAIDEN AND KRONIKA’S TUG-OF-WAR OVER TIME TURNED HER FROM A LOVING WOMAN TO A _SADISTIC HARLOT_!”

Kitana’s eyes widened, and her face turned ashen. She covered her mouth and looked ill.

“OH, YES,” the Dragon King snarled. “WE HAVE ALL SUFFERED AT THE MACHINATIONS OF THE ELDER GODS AND TITANS. I HAVE WATCHED FOR COUNTLESS MILLENIA ACROSS DOZENS OF TIMELINES AS THESE … _THINGS_ … THAT PRESUME TO LORD OVER US AND DICTATE OUR DESTINIES HAVE USED AND ABUSED US ACCORDING TO THEIR DEMENTED WHIMS.

“EVEN YOU, ERMAC OF OUTWORLD, CREATION OF SHAO KAHN. NOT EVEN YOU HAVE BEEN IMMUNE. TELL ME: ARE YOU THE SOULS OF FALLEN _OUTWORLD_ WARRIORS … OR EDENIAN? DO YOU EVEN KNOW YOURSELF ANYMORE?”

As intimidating as Onaga’s booming voice was, Sareena would’ve dismissed him as exactly the kind of madman he insisted her wasn’t. But when she saw confusion and doubt come to the normally stoic and composed Ermac’s eyes, she felt real fear.

“THERE IS A PLACE FOR YOU,” he continued. “UNNATURAL THOUGH YOU MAY BE, I COULD USE SOMEONE WITH YOUR MIGHT BY MY SIDE. AFTER ALL, YOU WERE FORGED TO SERVE THE MASTER OF OUTWORLD, WERE YOU NOT? THERE IS ONLY ONE TRUE RULER OF OUTWORLD … AND _I LIVE AGAIN_!

“I WILL MAKE THINGS AS THEY SHOULD BE. I WILL SET THE WORLD RIGHT. AND I WILL GIVE YOU THE PEACE AND JUSTICE YOU DESERVE. ALL OF YOU!

“YOU CAN LIVE AGAIN, HANZO HASASHI OF EARTHREALM, SON OF TETSUO AND ASAMI. BE REJOINED WITH YOUR WIFE AND SON, AS YOU SHOULD BE. I ASSURE YOU, UNDER MY RULE, QUAN CHI WILL NEVER BE MORE THAN A BAD DREAM.

“OR YOU, MILEENA OF OUTWORLD, CREATION OF SHANG TSUNG. YOU MAY YET STILL HAVE A PLACE IN EDENIA AS ROYALTY. _TRUE_ ROYALTY, AND NOT SOME HALF-BREED TRAPPED IN BETWEEN. AND THAT QUESTION YOU’VE BEEN ASKING? THAT QUESTION THAT’S BEEN PLAGUING YOUR THOUGHTS?

“THE ANSWER IS YES.

“EVEN YOU, ‘HAVIK.’ I KNOW YOUR TRUE NAME, THOUGH YOU HAVE SURELY FORGOTTEN. I KNOW WHO YOU ARE … THE MAN YOU WERE BEFORE THE CHAOS REALM WARPED YOU MIND, BODY, AND SOUL. I CAN RESTORE YOU, IF YOU’LL LET ME.”

Sareena watched as her companions, one by one, seemed to deflate. All of them looked lost and shaken to their core. Even Havik had a haunted look to his eyes as he touched his ravaged face as though it was the first time he even realized what he was.

“HOW MUCH MORE, MY FRIENDS,” the Dragon King said. “HOW MUCH MORE MUST WE SUFFER BECAUSE OF THE CALLOUS ACTIONS OF SELFISH GODS AND CRUEL TITANS? HOW MANY MORE HEROES MUST BE TURNED TO VILLAINS AT RANDOM? HOW MANY MORE TRIUMPHS MUST BE STOLEN? HOW MUCH MORE MUST BE RUINED AND DESTROYED?

“I WOULD SET IT RIGHT. I WOULD MAKE A PROPER WORLD WITH ONE TRUE TIMELINE! ONE DESTINY FOR THE WORTHY! DO NOT FEAR ME, WARRIORS, FOR I AM YOUR DELIVERER! I AM YOUR SALVATION! IT IS BY MY HAND ALL WILL BE SET RIGHT! FOR ONLY I CAN GIVE IT TO YOU! ONLY I AM STRONG AND WISE ENOUGH TO WIELD THE KAMIDOGU!

“I AM THE ONE BEING YOU NEED! ALL I ASK IN RETURN IS YOUR LOYALTY! PAY HOMAGE TO ME, AND ALL YOUR DREAMS WILL BE TRUE!”

Sareena looked to her allies and saw only despair and confusion. She thought to rally them or say anything that might reinvigorate them, but no words would come. What could she say that wouldn’t sound hollow and empty? Why would they give up their chance at perfect lives by the urging of a demon?

And perhaps the worst of it: Onaga wasn’t wrong. She knew all too well how cruel the gods could be. She spent an eternity in the shadow of Shinnok, and she glimpsed Raiden’s darkness before Kronika came about. Whatever else could be said about the Dragon King and his plans, the realms have indeed suffered due to the whims of inconsistent and uncaring gods.

It was Scorpion who met her gaze. He stared at her for a moment, his masked face and white eyes unreadable. In that moment, Shang Tsung’s words echoed through her mind, and she feared they would throw her aside after all.

“He lies.”

The sound of his voice seemed to break the others from their stupor. They all looked to him as he stood up.

“He paints a tempting picture,” he said. “But it’s a lie. He’ll grant a perfect world to those _he_ deems worthy. And what of those who aren’t?”

“They die,” Kitana said, standing up herself. “Because there’s no such thing as a perfect world. He’ll rip reality apart over and over until there’s nothing left.”

“Nothing but him.”

“Yes!” Havik barked as he strode onto the stairway, in the open for Onaga to see him. “We defy you, Dragon King! However broken the world may be, we will not allow you to smother it under your rule!”

“Your reign is madness, Onaga!” said Ermac, joining him on the stairs. “The realms are tearing themselves apart even as we speak! You cannot wield the Kamidogu any further! You’ll doom us all!”

The Dragon King stared at them from the apex. His face couldn’t be seen from the distance and the Kamidogu’s light behind him, but he seemed unmoved by their defiance. He simply shook his head.

“YOU DISAPPOINT ME.”

He clapped his hands with a thunderous echo, and the pyramid began to tremble. Without warning, the ground beneath Sareena and Scorpion’s feet shifted, and the wall before them slid open. She caught a glimpse of the same happening to Kitana and Mileena on the other side. It was as if the structure itself came to life to swallow them.

“IF YOU WILL NOT EMBRACE MY DREAM,” Onaga’s voice boomed as they slid into the darkness of the pyramid’s interior. “THEN FACE YOUR SINS.”

* * *

Kitana and Mileena blindly slid and tumbled deeper into the pyramid. They came to a rough landing in a stone corridor lit by a handful of torches. The air was musty but cool, and the walls were engraved with runes and symbols. Before she could even get her bearings, Kitana saw the wall behind them close, leaving nowhere to go but forward.

“Are you okay?” she asked, helping Mileena to her feet.

Mileena didn’t answer. She drew her sai and peered into the darkness ahead. “What is this place?”

“I don’t know,” she replied. “But we need to reach the apex. There must be some way out of here.”

“Onaga wouldn’t drop us down here unless he had something in store.”

“I know,” she said. “Hopefully Scorpion and Sareena will find their own way if we don’t find them down here.”

They moved swiftly but carefully down the darkened hall, keeping their backs to the opposing walls. Kitana tried to anticipate what they might encounter, but it occurred to her with Onaga’s power over the Kamidogu, just about anything could be hidden in this pyramid.

At first, the corridor simply went straight with no turns or passageways, and she began to fear the pyramid itself might operate on its own reality. A basic seeming structure on the outside, but what if the inside was eternal? Or an infinite maze they could wander endlessly with no progress?

“Kitana.”

She turned to find Mileena had stopped a few feet back. Her head was down, hiding her expression. “Yes?”

“I talked to Ermac last night,” she said. “You know how they said he and Havik and others weren’t affected by Onaga because they’re unnatural?”

“What of it?”

“I’m a clone,” she said. “I’m unnatural. I asked him … shouldn’t I have fallen through the cracks, too? Or stayed dead? Why was I brought back and remade like you? He said … he said the only explanation would be someone wanted me back.”

She sounded awkward and uncertain. Kitana couldn’t tell if she was worried or hiding her anger. “Mileena,” she said. “What does this have to do with—?”

“The question I’ve been asking … the question Onaga said is true …” She looked up with shiny, trembling eyes. “He brought me back for you.”

Kitana hesitated. With all that was going on, she hadn’t bothered to question why Mileena was made into her trueborn sister. When Havik explained why he and the others were unaffected, she didn’t think to connect it to her clone.

“Why did you want me back?”

“Mileena,” she said. “This isn’t the time …”

“Why would you want me back?!”

“What am I supposed to say to that?” she replied. “I didn’t ask for this! I didn’t decide anything! I just woke up in this same as you!”

“Onaga looked into your soul and gave you everything you’ve dreamed! He gave you Edenia, your parents, Jade, Liu Kang … everything!” Her eyes were frantic, and her voice shook as she shouted. “And me. Why was I there? You’ve always hated me. Why would you want me back?”

“I _don’t_ —”

She almost said she didn’t hate her clone, but somehow the words felt hollow. Regardless of timeline, she had seen Mileena as an intruder. The mockery that had been meant to take her place. Her very life.

And more than that … a walking, talking reminder of her history with her step-father. The part of her that was Shao Kahn’s daughter and elite assassin. The part of her that sought and relished his approval. What was Mileena if not her capacity for evil and cruelty in physical form?

But there was pity, too. She also understood Mileena was as much a victim of their step-father as she. There was a time she killed her “sister” in Mortal Kombat. But hadn’t she later chosen to spare her life when they faced each other again?

“I don’t know, Mileena. Onaga may have looked into my soul, but I can’t tell you what he saw there.” She shook her head and sighed. “I guess … deep down … maybe I believed you deserved a second chance.”

Her eyes met Mileena’s, and again, she couldn’t guess what her “sister” thought. So much of their relationship was marked with hatred and suspicion. On the rare occasions she did try reaching out to her with sympathy, Mileena responded with resentment and distrust. Would Onaga confirming Kitana’s pity make any difference now?

Before she could respond, the pyramid rumbled, and suddenly a hidden wall appeared and slid in between them. It closed with a thunderous crash, and Kitana pounded at the stone in an effort to find some switch or opening.

“Mileena!” she screamed. “Mileena, can you hear me?!”

She listened and pressed her ear against the wall, but heard nothing from the other side. The stone was too thick and strong.

“Damn it,” she grumbled. “Mileena, I … I know you can sometimes sense my thoughts. If you’re hearing me in any way, try to find another way to the apex. I’ll—”

She turned at the sound of footsteps behind her. From darkness ahead, men clad in familiar black and gold armor approached, led by none other than Hotaru.

She drew her fans and prepared to face the first of Onaga’s tests.

* * *

“I can’t teleport.”

Like Kitana and Mileena, Sareena and Scorpion found themselves dropped into a hall of stone lit by torches. Immediately after getting his bearings, Scorpion tried to teleport with her back outside, but something was wrong. He shifted away but only to appear in the same spot.

“I don’t know why,” he said. “My teleport won’t work in here.”

She looked around and sensed something in the air. An intangible energy that made her skin crawl. Despite the lit torches and enclosed space, the corridor was cool. The hall went ahead, fading into darkness, and seemed longer than the outside shape would suggest.

“This place is wrong,” she said. “I don’t know what it is, but I sense it. This pyramid is …”

“Unnatural,” he said. “I feel it, too. It seems if we’re to face Onaga, we must go through whatever gauntlet he has prepared for us first.”

Weapons drawn, they began their trek down the corridor. Like Kitana, Sareena braced herself for whatever horrors the Dragon King had waiting. If he could tempt them with their dreams, it stood to reason he could also torment them with their worst fears if he desired.

In a strange way, she took comfort in that. Through her existence, she’d had more than her share of foes to hate and fear. But she knew she could fight them. She could kill her enemies. Death and murder were something that came natural to a demon. It was simple.

It was the alternative that frightened her. If Onaga had offered her a perfect life where all her dreams came true, could she have refused? How much would it take to sway her? She tried to imagine what her ideal world would be, and how easy would it be for the Dragon King to grant it? Would she have resisted as her companions did?

Isn’t that what a hero is, she wondered? Someone who gives up their happiness for the greater good? Someone willing to sacrifice themselves for the sake of others? Again, Shang Tsung’s words echoed in her mind. Was she a hero or not?

Perhaps she was fortunate Onaga didn’t even try. Whether he despised demons so much he couldn’t even pretend to tempt her, or she was simply beneath his notice, he spared her the trouble of having to choose.

“Sareena,” Scorpion said, motioning her to stop. “Something’s here.”

Somewhere ahead, hidden in the darkness, she heard a rumble followed by something growling. More than that, however, was the smell. Within seconds, the air turned foul with the stench of rotting meat. It grew worse as lumbering footsteps approached, along with a sound like chains or metal dragged along the floor.

The shape appeared from the darkness. It was monstrous creature, muscular and hunched over with a hump in its back. A metal ball was chained to its left hand. Three yellow eyes glowed, and drool leaked from its mouth as it snarled and growled. Upon seeing Scorpion and Sareena, it stopped and roared.

“Moloch,” Scorpion said, drawing his sword.

Sareena braced herself for battle but realized if the Oni-Destroyer was there, the Oni-Tormentor couldn’t be far behind. The sound of flies buzzing behind her confirmed her fear, and she turned to find the walking corpse that was Drahmin approaching.

“I remember you,” he said from beneath his green mask. “Pretty, pretty Sareena … I missed you …”

**End of Chapter XIV**


	15. Shadows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The heroes face ghosts from their past.

“Out of respect for your father, I ask you to lay down your weapons and surrender, Princess.”

Hotaru’s face was a stern scowl, and his blank eyes cold and accusing. He was flanked by three other Seidans—each armed with a naginata of their own—and their helmets made them seem like soulless automatons waiting for their commander’s order.

“Honestly, Hotaru,” she said. “Do you really believe I’d come this far just to surrender to _you_?”

His eyes narrowed, and he somehow managed to scowl even more. “Take her.”

With the close quarters of the pyramid’s hall, the three Guards were unable to properly surround her. She slid among them like flowing water. Slashing with elegant, dance-like movements, she deflected their blades and struck their weak points. Their armor spared them mortal wounds, but within moments, all three men were down.

Hotaru shook his head in annoyance and held up his naginata. “I never knew what to make of you, Princess. I’ll allow you likely served Shao Kahn due to ignorance of your true realm. And I suppose your turning on him upon discovering the truth is admirable. Yet …”

“Yet what?” she cut in. “You don’t approve of me?”

“If it is truly peace you wish to bring to Outworld,” he said. “You should’ve pledged yourself to my cause. Long did I hold the city of Lei Chen free from Kahn’s rule. You should’ve looked to me as an example.”

“Free?” she repeated. “I know the stories of what you did in Lei Chen. You’re just as brutal as Kahn ever was. The only difference is he did it for his own amusement. You do it to serve your twisted view of law and order.”

Hotaru charged. His blade and her fans clashed loudly in the narrow corridor. Living up to his status and reputation as Lord Commander of the Seidan Guard, he didn’t fall as easily as his comrades. His attacks were precise, measured, and patient. He swung his naginata, though less with the intention of wounding or killing, but to test her abilities.

Knowing he was looking for a weakness, Kitana played defense and wouldn’t reveal the extent of her skills. She saw he was equally guarded in his attacks, ensuring she wouldn’t get a sense of what he was fully capable of either.

“Why do you resist?” he asked. “The Dragon King has freed your home. He has brought peace to the realms. Are you so ungrateful you would throw that away because his methods are not to your liking?”

“You mean aside from the earthquakes tearing the realms apart?”

“Those will pass,” he said. “When he fully masters the Kamidogu, the Dragon King will set things as they should be. Even those abominations you came here with will be done away.”

“I’ll sooner die with those ‘abominations’ than live in your master’s demented paradise.”

They resumed their battle, and Kitana detected a pattern to his movements. Hotaru was faster and more agile than would be expected for someone in full body armor—Seidan armor in general seemed to offer more movement—but his offense, while exact and quick, was also blunt and stiff. An opening wouldn’t be easy to catch, but when she found it, the fight was hers.

He lunged with the naginata, trying to force her into the corner. She evaded and drew first blood with a quick slice in his armpit. It was a good hit, but to her shock, he didn’t even acknowledge the wound and jabbed her in the gut with the blunt side of his weapon. She staggered back with the wind knocked out of her and understood the danger of his stiff, blunt attacks. If he gained the advantage, he’d easily overpower her.

“Your error, Princess,” he said, “is you delude yourself with notions of good and evil and equate them with brutality and mercy. There is only order and chaos, and it sometimes takes a brutal hand to maintain order.”

“I’ve seen the kind of order you enforce,” she said. “Sterile, lifeless, and cold. That’s the kind of order your master would bring to Edenia and spread to other realms. I’ll have no part of that.”

“And that is Shao Kahn’s taint destroying you. You so fear you’re his daughter you tell yourself peace can be achieved without order. You allow too much without the might to keep it in line.” He looked her in the eye. “That is why you lost Outworld.”

His tone was blunt and almost monotone. He didn’t speak to taunt her or even goad her into making a mistake. He spoke as if it was plain and simple fact. And that somehow made Kitana angrier.

She lunged, aiming to cut his crown from the rest of his head. Hotaru ducked the attack and drove his armored fist into her gut. The air left her body as she doubled over, leaving her back open for him to rain blows onto her kidney.

Punctuating with a knee to her midsection, he then wrapped his arms around her and flipped her over his shoulder. Kitana somersaulted through the air and came to an ugly landing face-first on the stone floor.

Before she even had a chance to realize what was happening, he gripped the back of her neck and wrapped his arm around her throat. She flailed as the flow of blood to her head was cut off, knowing she only had seconds to escape before she passed out.

“Peace can only be achieved through perfect order,” he said, tightening the hold. “And it takes a heart of steel to maintain that order.”

Clawing at his armor did nothing. Snatching at his hair or trying to gouge his eyes was fruitless. Her vision already blurring, she kicked at her fans and managed to get them back into her hands. With a desperate roar, she used all her strength to Fan Lift herself with him on her back.

There was too much weight to hold them, and they fell to the floor with Hotaru taking the worst of it. He grunted and released his hold on her, allowing her time to catch her breath and roll away from him.

Still dizzy and not even waiting to regain her bearings, she caught him with a Pretty Kick. Hotaru spun through the air and hit the floor with his face. Wasting no time, Kitana snatched his hair and pressed her fan against his throat.

“Will you kill me now?” he asked. “Murder as your step-father taught you, or are you still telling yourself that you’re somehow above that?”

She hesitated. Her instinct was to kill. Her conscience told her to show mercy. Part of her remembered what a mistake it was to spare Shao Kahn. Another urged her to be better than that.

“You’ve the worst of both worlds, Princess. Shao Kahn’s fury, but without the steel to use it for order. That is why no matter how many battles you win, you will always lose the war.”

Shutting her eyes tight, she let out a harsh roar and slammed the blunt side of the fan against his head, knocking him unconscious.

* * *

It was said Drahmin was once a mortal man. A powerful warlord so evil and cruel, upon his death, he was damned to the 5th Plane of the Netherealm. There he suffered centuries of the worst punishment until he turned into a creature consumed with insane rage and bloodlust. Now an Oni, he became one of the 5th Plane’s most infamous and feared torturers—inflicting the same horror and agony onto damned souls he himself endured.

Sareena and her comrades generally stayed clear of his domain. But when she betrayed Quan Chi to help Bi-Han, it was to the 5th Plane she was banished as penalty. And it was there she became all too familiar with the Oni-Tormentor.

For years she suffered his torments. She sometimes wondered if her former masters didn’t specifically tell the Oni to target her. Even after she finally escaped the Netherealm and found sanctuary with the Lin Kuei, her nightmares were often haunted by Drahmin’s mask and the snarling, decayed face behind it.

Those memories returned to her as she faced him deep in Onaga’s pyramid. While Scorpion fought Moloch behind her, she drew her kama blades and prepared to battle the creature responsible for so much of her pain.

“Prettier than I remember,” he said. “Shame Shinnok didn’t give you to me in this form. Like you better this way.”

“We’re not in the Netherealm anymore, Drahmin.”

He made a noise that might have been a laugh—a dry, gurgling croak that did nothing to make his devilish mask any less eerie. “I remember your screams,” he said. “I remember how you begged and cried for mercy. Of all the damned souls I’ve worked on, I remember you.”

Anger kindled, and Sareena didn’t fight it. There was fear that came with the memories of her years with Drahmin. But fury smothered it to almost nothing. She had indeed suffered at his hands. Now she had a chance to pay him back.

In a flash, she struck with her Skull Bash attack which bounced his face off the floor. With a roar, she leveled him with a roundhouse kick that sent him spinning through the air and into the nearby wall.

Before he could get back up, she pressed her assault with knees and kicks to his midsection and face. He snarled and tried hitting her with the iron club fused to his right arm, but she dodged and plunged the kama blades into his shoulders. She then spun behind him and flipped him over her back, tearing chunks of rotten flesh off his bones.

He got to his knees, only to get a stiff kick to the sternum that knocked him flat on his back. “It’s not the same when I can fight back, is it?” she shouted. “ _Is it, you son of a bitch_?!”

Drahmin roared and came at her with swings of his club. She dodged and chipped away at him with her kamas, which enraged him further. While that didn’t slow him down, it did make him sloppier and easier to hit.

Nearby, Scorpion and Moloch were locked in their own struggle. The bigger Oni was stronger and difficult to hurt, but Scorpion was nimbler and precise with his attacks. As long as he evaded Moloch’s grip, Sareena was confident he would overcome the beast. That left Drahmin to her.

She made another charge, hoping to slice his throat with the kamas and maybe take his head. He ducked and evaded the follow-up swing. He then blocked her kick attempts and kept his distance without trying to counter.

Although his hoarse breathing gave away his anger, he didn’t let it consume him. She found it hard to imagine a raging Oni fighting with finesse of any kind, much less have a plan. He stared at her, his mask giving away nothing, and she remembered it was said to channel his anger and help him focus.

With a sudden wave of his hand, he sent a dozen or so of the flies buzzing around him into her face. It didn’t hurt, but the distraction was enough. Drahmin drove his club into her stomach, causing her drop her kamas. With his free hand, he gripped the back of her neck and smashed her face into the stone wall. The taste of blood filled Sareena’s mouth as her vision became blurred and dark.

Dazed, she offered no resistance as he threw her across the corridor into the opposite wall. Before she could collect herself, he took hold of her head and rained punishing blows onto her body with his club.

He squeezed her throat and lifted her up with a crazed laugh that was more of a snarl. “I missed this,” he growled. “Scream for me. For old time’s sake.”

She spit in his face.

Still gripping her neck, he slammed her into the wall with such force she actually blacked out for a moment. She gasped for breath and feebly clawed at his wrist. He pressed his club against her chest, choking out whatever remaining air she had.

“You won’t die here, little Sareena. I will keep you. It will be even better now with your pretty face and pretty eyes.”

Her strength faded. She couldn’t feel her legs and would surely have collapsed if he wasn’t holding her up. Blinking spots clouded her vision, and soon the only thing she could see was Drahmin’s awful mask overbearing her.

“No one to save you,” he hissed. “No escaping this time. You belong to me. Forever.”

His words echoed in her mind, and centuries of pain and fear flooded back into her memories. Not just Drahmin, but Quan Chi and Shinnok before him. All saying the same thing: she was nothing … she was property … she belonged to them …

The demon in her stirred, and she found strength in her rage. Her eyes glowed red, and an inhuman grown emerged from her throat. Black claws grew from her fingers, and she plunged them into Drahmin’s ribs. They sank into his rotten flesh, and she didn’t stop until she felt bone.

With a guttural roar, she tore out part of his rib cage, causing him to howl in pain and release her. In near frenzy, she then cracked him in the face as hard as she could and knocked his mask off.

He staggered away, and it took a moment for him to realize his mask was gone. His bare face was exactly as she expected: a gaunt, ghoulish horror with milky bloodshot eyes, rotten teeth, and flesh like dried mud. She met his gaze and looked him in the eye as she stomped her foot onto his mask, shattering it.

Veins bulging across his forehead, he let rip an animalistic roar void of any sanity he might have had. She answered with a roar of her own, and the two demons charged at each other.

Without his mask, whatever finesse Drahmin possessed was gone. And while Sareena was caught in the midst of her own demonic fury, she retained enough control to outfight him through speed and skill. She kept him off balance with kicks to his legs while clawing at the wounds in his midsection. The more she outfought him, the angrier he got. The angrier he got, the more he lost control.

She beat him back until she had him trapped against the wall and tore into him with haymakers to his unprotected face. She pounded and clawed at him until there was little left but rotten flesh hanging off his skull.

“… not over …” he gurgled, despite missing his eyes and most of his face. “… you belong … to me …”

“I belong to no one.”

With that, she charged her Gut Buster and drove his skull into the stone wall. His head popped like rotten fruit and sprayed blood and puss onto the floor and ceiling. The Oni-Tormentor let out one final croak and collapsed at her feet twitching.

Sareena shut her eyes and took a breath, reining in her anger. When she opened them and took in the sight of Drahmin’s dead body, she allowed herself a moment’s relief. Even pride. Quan Chi and Shinnok were long gone, and nothing could erase the years of suffering, but she felt vindicated ridding herself of one of her tormentors with her own hands.

She truly was free.

Her relief was short-lived. Just as she was about to aid Scorpion against Moloch, she caught movement in the corner of her eye and felt an icy draft in the air. When she looked down the corridor, she saw nothing but darkness. But then the shadows moved.

He appeared from the blackness without a sound, looking like a reaper of souls. His dead eyes stared at her from beneath his hood, and Sareena’s blood ran cold. She had been warned, but seeing it with her own eyes was another matter.

Noob Saibot had come.

* * *

Like Sareena and Scorpion, Mileena sensed something wrong with Onaga’s pyramid. She was sure Kitana did, too, but it was the Tarkatan part of her than smelled danger in the very brick. They had defied a being that manipulated reality, and he responded by plunging them into a maze. She knew there would be more awaiting them than Seidans and Shokan.

Confirming her dread, shortly after the sliding wall separated her from Kitana, a passageway to her left opened. Inside was a narrow stairway which led down to an ominous green light. The smell alone was enough to put her off. Though the Tarkatan in her was drawn to the scent of blood and meat, it was overpowered by the stench of decay and another, different odor she couldn’t place but seemed familiar.

She wasn’t eager to play Onaga’s game, but with nowhere else to go, she twirled her sai and descended the stairs. “Damn it all.”

Halfway down, she picked up the sound of dripping and something boiling. The smell became more potent, and it made her eyes water. It was a chemical scent like potions or the fluids used to clean corpses. It was the smell of a physician or sorcerer’s laboratory.

Then she realized why it was so familiar. She had been here before.

The stairs led into a looming chamber filled with glass tubes and steel slabs. Blood stained the floor, and chains and hooks hung from the ceiling. Half-formed creatures and partially dissected bodies were strewn about, some hanging from the chains.

She was back to the place of her birth: Shang Tsung’s Flesh Pit. Recreated in Onaga’s pyramid by the Kamidogu in all its horrific glory.

“Cute,” she muttered.

Moving through the chamber, she was admittedly disturbed at its accuracy. One of the bodies hanging from the ceiling was indeed an incomplete clone of Kitana with her chest opened and insides hollowed out. One of the glass tubes held a malformed creature that looked half like Kitana and half like a Tarkakan floating in green chemicals.

Mileena’s eyes moved along her fallen “sisters.” The clones before her that were deemed imperfect or defective—some too similar to Kitana, others too Tarkatan. She had been the last, but how many were created and killed before her? How many failures did they go through before they settled on her?

“Is this what it was like for you, sister?” she wondered aloud. “Stumbling on Shang Tsung’s good work?”

Her foot hit something on the floor, and she found yet another incomplete clone. This one seemed almost entirely Tarkatan. The only thing to suggest any Kitana in her were the eyes, which were frozen in horror.

What startled her, however, was how chewed up it was. Its body was torn up with claws and bite marks, and half of its face was ripped off. This one wasn’t dissected for study. Someone or something took their anger out on it.

Going further in, she found more damaged and ripped apart clones. Limbs torn off, hearts pulled out, and flesh damaged. The only thing in common was all their faces were a ruin regardless if they looked more Kitana or more Tarkatan. Whoever did this wanted to destroy their faces above all.

She turned a corner and found a shattered glass tube with the remains of another deformed clone on the floor before it. Hunched over the dead copy was a creature wearing torn purple and black rags. It twitched and growled, and a foul chewing noise could be heard. Sensing Mileena’s presence, it stopped what it was doing and faced her.

It was female. Her body was lean and muscular with small spikes protruding from her shoulders and upper arms. She was mostly bald, but a few locks of black hair hung from her scalp. The top half of her head was wrapped in purple bandages, hiding what was clearly a Tarkatan face—her orange, devilish eyes gave it away. But her jaw, covered with blood, appeared perfectly human. From nose to chin, she was Kitana.

She stared at Mileena, her head twitching from side to side in curiosity. She wiped blood from her chapped lips and said, “Sister … you’ve come at last.”

She stood, revealing that she had been chewing on the dead body’s face. Mileena backed away and held her sai up.

“Oh,” the clone said. “You’re not Kitana. You’re one of us.”

“I’m nothing like you,” she replied. “I am Mileena. I am Shao Kahn’s true daughter.”

“Mmmmi-leeeeennn-nnna.” The clone made a bizarre clucking noise that might have been a giggle. She clicked her tongue and sucked blood off her fingers. “You’re the one he kept,” she said. “He gave you a name. He picked you over me. Over us.”

She stretched her arms, and like a Tarkatan, blades emerged from her wrists. But unlike the usual single blade, one grew from the center while two smaller ones came from either side.

“You have a pretty face,” she said, crossing her arms. “ _Give it to me_.”

* * *

“Bi-Han? D-do you recognize me?”

Kuai Liang had warned Sareena of his brother’s fate shortly after they met. Although she really didn’t know Bi-Han—they barely had time for it when he made his journey into the Netherealm—she was saddened to learn the man who’d defied Quan Chi and Shinnok ultimately wound up their slave anyway. A literal shadow of what he once was.

“Bi-Han,” she said. “It’s me. Sareena. You … you spared my life. Remember?”

He didn’t answer. He only stared at her, his face a vague black shape nearly invisible in the darkness around him. His eyes were cold and lifeless. He didn’t even appear to be breathing. For a moment, she dared hope it wasn’t really him but some illusion conjured by Onaga to trick her.

“I saw Bi-Han,” she said. “He’s on Earthrealm with his brother and the Lin Kuei. You … you’re just some—”

“Onaga summoned me here to finish what the White Huntress could not,” he interrupted, his voice deep and void of emotion. “Hasashi will not save you this time.”

She shivered. “If this is you … then you _were_ Bi-Han only days ago. You must remember what it is to be human. You were reunited with your brother. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”

“I was reminded of weakness.” He reached into his own chest, which seemed to almost be made of ink, and revealed a sickle. “But I am free again. I have been restored to my true self. Reclaimed my true name.”

He sprang at her, aiming to cut her throat with his blade. She barely evaded the slice but caught an elbow to her stomach and knee to the chin that sent her stumbling back. Losing track of him in the shadows, she almost didn’t realize he was already behind her.

Grabbing a handful of hair, he pulled her head back to expose her neck. In desperation, she tore herself from his grasp and back-flipped away to create some distance. As she tried to catch her breath, Noob Saibot let the locks of hair ripped from her scalp fall from his fingers.

“No … no, I don’t believe you,” she said. “You cared about Kuai Liang. He told me. You … you were flawed, but there was good in you. You could’ve killed me years ago, but you spared my life. That had to mean something!”

“You read too much into nothing,” he said. “The whim of a man long dead. Whatever feeling Bi-Han had for you, I would just as soon be rid of it.”

Without warning, an inky shadow-double sprang from Noob’s body and tackled her to the floor. Her head bounced off the stone and left her too dazed to defend against the double’s blows. Holding her arms back, it then picked her up and held her in place for Noob to finish her.

“When I am done with you,” he said, lifting her chin with the sickle’s point. “I shall return to the Lin Kuei and deal with my family. The last of Bi-Han will be gone at last. Only Noob Saibot remains.”

He raised the blade to strike her dead, but was distracted when a large shape was thrown from over his shoulder. The severed head of Moloch roll to a stop at her feet, and he turned to find Scorpion standing over the rest of the Oni’s body with a chained kunai in his hand.

“Come here.”

The spear found its mark and plunged into Noob’s chest. The chain snapped taut as Scorpion pulled him close and then leveled him with an uppercut that left the wraith on his back. Before a follow-up attack could be made, both Noob and the double holding Sareena dissipated into darkness and reformed as one further down the corridor.

Scorpion helped her to her feet. “You okay?”

“No,” she said. “He won’t listen. I can’t get through to him.”

“There’s nothing to get through to.”

“No,” she insisted. “Scorpion, I know you have a grudge against Bi-Han, but I have to at least try—”

“ _Bi-Han is dead_ , Sareena.”

His tone struck her. At first, she thought Scorpion only saw the man who’d killed him. But she remembered Kuai Liang had a similar tone when he told her about his brother. Her eyes met Scorpion’s, and she knew he was asking the same question Kuai Liang had: _Can I trust you?_

She looked toward Noob Saibot, who stood in the shadows ahead of them, waiting. Since their first encounter, she had long wished to meet Bi-Han again. The more she learned about him from Kuai Liang, the more her curiosity grew. She always wanted to know why he chose to spare her. She wished to truly know the man she met all too briefly before Shinnok tore her away from him.

She couldn’t say she loved him. She would never claim he loved her. But there were questions she longed to have answered.

But some things just go unresolved.

“You’re right,” she said, nodding. “I can’t help him.”

They approached the wraith, who showed no seeming concern. Scorpion took the lead and would’ve made the first move, but Sareena was suddenly struck in the face by another of Noob’s doubles hidden in the shadows.

The distraction allowed Noob to land the first blow on Scorpion, and what followed was a chaotic battle in the narrow corridor. Noob and his shadow fought in near perfect sync, bobbing and weaving between their opponents and seamlessly switching from Scorpion to Sareena and back again.

Sareena likened it to trying to grab hold of an oily eel. She and Scorpion could barely keep up pace. The shadowy corridor made keeping track even more difficult, and at one point, they nearly hit each other. Noob again took advantage of their delay and picked them apart with his double like a surgeon.

In desperation, Scorpion summoned a burst of fire from the floor to buy himself and Sareena time to get their bearings. Noob Saibot backed away from the fire, his eyes as cold and focused as ever. Despite being outnumbered, the wraith managed to outfight the both of them with frightening ease.

Scorpion caught his breath and stared at their enemy. “Sareena,” he said. “Go on without me.”

“What?!”

“I’ll handle Saibot alone,” he said. “Get to the apex.”

“But …” She stammered, trying to find the words. “I’m not going to just leave you! We have a better chance fighting together!”

“You saw what just happened. He’ll use his doubles to play us against each other. I’ll fight better alone.”

“I’m not—”

“ _The Amulet is what matters, Sareena_! Ermac and Havik will need you more than I will!” He looked at her, and his eyes softened. He placed his hand on her shoulder and quietly said, “You said it yourself: you can’t help him. Noob Saibot is my mistake. Let me deal with it.”

She bit her lip and looked from him to Noob and back to him. She hated leaving him on his own. She hated abandoning the fight. And, she admitted to herself, she hated giving up on the chance she could still reach through to Bi-Han.

She nodded and started down the corridor, leaving Scorpion to face Noob Saibot alone. She only a moment to look back and lament she still would never get the answers she sought.

* * *

_This isn’t the same_. _Hotaru isn’t Shao Kahn_.

Kitana stood over Hotaru and his comrades with her fans drawn. They were all unconscious and could easily be dispatched. There was a time she wouldn’t have even thought about it. But she had been a different person then—cold, loyal to her step-father, and even cruel at times. She’d changed since then.

She wanted that part of her life behind her. That was why she didn’t finish Shao Kahn when she had the chance. She told him—told herself—she wouldn’t inherit his cruelty. She wanted to believe in mercy, as Liu did. It was why the people of Outworld chose her to be Kahn, wasn’t it? Her heart had won them over, hadn’t it?

And it allowed her mother to restore Shao Kahn and ruin everything.

She turned and started down the corridor but hesitated. No, Hotaru wasn’t the same as her step-father, but leaving him alive could be disastrous all the same. And he was a heartless fanatic anyway, a part of her insisted. Would the realms be any worse with him gone?

She almost went to finish them off, when a voice called out: “Kitana! Stop!”

On reflex, she held her fans up and braced for battle. From down the darkened hall, a figure appeared in armor she didn’t recognize. It was Seidan influenced but had a more elegant, regal flair to it and colored in shades of blue, purple, and gold.

The soldier came forward holding a Kwan Do and removed his helmet. His dark hair was pulled back and beard trimmed. But his eyes were troubled, and his face set in a saddened frown. It took a moment for Kitana to recognize him, but when she did, her stomach dropped.

“Father?”

“I didn’t want it to come to this ‘Tana,” he said. “We’d hoped we could get you back peacefully.”

Her knees felt weak, and a wretched jolt went up her spine as dizziness came to her. Out of desperation, she latched onto denial. “No,” she said, struggling to breathe. “No, no. This … this is a trick. One of Onaga’s illusions. My father … my father’s back in Edenia …”

“Commander Hotaru informed me what was happening after you escaped with Mileena,” Jerrod said. “He told me the truth. I was summoned here by the Dragon King himself.”

The walls seemed to close in. Kitana felt she might vomit. “Stop it … please, stop it … I can’t do this …”

“I didn’t want you to find out like this,” he said. “But you just wouldn’t stop …”

He reached out to take her by the shoulder. She screamed and jumped away from him, pressing herself against the wall. He took a step closer, his hands up like he was trying to talk her off a ledge, and she backed away like he was contagious.

“Why?” she asked, her voice cracking. “How could you? After Shao Kahn … how could you let this …?”

“It’s exactly because of Shao Kahn I’m doing this.” He shut his eyes and took a breath with his fists clenched at his sides. “Ten thousand years, Kitana. For ten thousand years, Shao Kahn held my soul. Do you understand what that means? I saw what he saw. I watched everything he did … to our home, to our people … to your mother … to you. And I had ten thousand years to think about how I failed to stop it.”

“So you trade one tyrant for another?” she asked. “Onaga instead of Shao Kahn, and it makes no difference to you? I thought … I thought you were …”

“Thought I was what? Gentler? Kinder?” he said, shaking his head. “Hotaru was right. It takes a heart of steel. If I had been stronger then … if I had the steel necessary to defeat Shao Kahn … but I failed. And I am _not_ letting that happen again!”

Kitana stared at her father, desperately trying to find the man she’d dreamed he was. The man she knew all too briefly just a few days ago who held her close and made her feel safe. For so long, she only knew her father as a mythic, benevolent figure cruelly slain in her infancy. He couldn’t be this bitter, harsh man standing before her, could he?

Just like her mother—the tragic queen who would rather die than be Shao Kahn’s bride—couldn’t be the sadistic monster that relished her torture. Just like Liu Kang was her beloved Chosen One who would never stand aside and let her suffer. Or Jade … or Sheeva …

“I know what you must think,” Jerrod said. “I understand how this all looks. But the Dragon King is righteous. He only wishes for peace. He brought me back, ‘Tana. He gave us Sindel … as she’s supposed to be. As _I_ remember her. And I know Seido can seem harsh, but their way is the answer. With their strength, we need never fear losing our home again.”

Her strength left her. The fans in her hands never seemed so heavy. She looked around in a daze, feeling like she was in a dream. “Why am I here?” she asked. “I don’t … what am I fighting for?”

“Kitana?”

She stared at the floor. Decades of struggle and pain and disappointment came upon her at once. “I have nothing left to give,” she said, her voice like a dying breath. “I just want to sleep. Please, let me sleep …”

The fans slipped from her fingers and hit the floor with a metallic clang. She couldn’t even cry. She felt as though her soul had been drained from her body. She sank to her knees wanting nothing more than to sleep forever.

**End of Chapter XV**


	16. Defiance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victory may be within reach.

Sareena stopped to catch her breath before stepping outside. Not just because she’d been running about for the past several minutes, but she wanted to prepare for what came next. She looked out the exit before her and saw the open sky of the Nexus. If she was right, she should be near the apex where the real battle was taking place.

Fortune favored her as much as could be expected. After leaving Scorpion, she ran up and down the pyramid’s corridors, searching for stairs or an exit, and careful not to get lost in a maze of twists and turns. It took time, but she made her way up a few levels before finally finding an open doorway outside.

She encountered a few Seidan Guards along the way and made quick work of them. Realizing she forgot her kama blades, she took a pair of naginatas instead. She had never been much for pole-arms, but after breaking the shafts, she thought she could make do with her improvised short swords.

Her breathing slowed, but her heart pounded. It was the silence that troubled her more than anything. She expected to hear the Dragon King’s thunderous footsteps or roars as he battled Ermac and Havik. But standing at the threshold, with nothing but the droning wind of the Nexus and pulsing energy of the Kamidogu in her ears, she feared her allies were already defeated. Maybe dead.

Even if Scorpion bested Noob Saibot, it would take time for him to find his way out—assuming he didn’t run into worse obstacles along the way. Kitana and Mileena were nowhere to be found and likely dealing with problems of their own.

_Then it’s up to me_ , she thought with a gulp.

Gripping her weapons, she emerged from the pyramid and immediately pressed her back to the wall. Glancing upward, she was only two levels shy of the apex. With no Dragon King in sight, she climbed and crept to the final level to see what she was up against.

The pyramid apex was a wide platform with a golden Mortal Kombat symbol embedded in the floor. Six pillars lined the edge, and atop each was an object of shining light. Energy pulsed from them, through the pillars, and came to the center where a stone altar stood. Floating on the altar was Shinnok’s Amulet.

Next to it was the Dragon King himself. Up close, Onaga proved even more intimidating than Sareena imagined. Standing around twelve feet tall, he was a massive beast of thick green scales and heavy muscle. His face was stern, and his orange eyes burned like smoldering fire. His horns added another foot to his height, and his wings stretched about ten feet end to end.

Oddly, he seemed to be waiting for something as he stood by the altar. His eyes were narrow, and they scanned the apex around him suspiciously. Sareena ducked when his gaze came to her direction and tried to formulate a plan.

She didn’t think she could match him in combat. Certainly not by herself. But she didn’t need to. The Amulet was the key, and if she could get that away from the altar, she could at least ensure he wouldn’t activate the Kamidogu again. A simple enough idea, but that left the question of how she might accomplish it with Onaga standing right beside it.

Peeking over the side again, she realized there was no sign of Ermac or Havik at all. It occurred to her if he’d killed them, he did it without leaving a trace, when she became engulfed in green energy that rendered her motionless. Though startled, she made no sound as she was gently brought down a few levels where Ermac and Havik were waiting.

“Apologies,” Ermac said. “We couldn’t risk giving ourselves away to Onaga.”

“It’s nothing,” she said. “What’s happening? What’s been going on out here?”

“The battle has not been in our favor I’m afraid,” Havik replied. “The Dragon King is as formidable as we feared. Our initial effort at engaging him was disastrous.”

“Right now,” Ermac said. “We seem to be in a stalemate. We can’t fight him directly, and he won’t leave the Amulet unguarded. Where are the others?”

“Scorpion and I found Moloch and Drahmin waiting for us in the pyramid. We killed them, but then Noob Saibot appeared. Scorpion’s fighting him now and told me to go on ahead. I don’t know where Kitana or Mileena are.”

“Onaga likely has surprises waiting for them, too,” Havik said. “This bodes poorly. He’s patient, and he knows we need to defeat him more than he needs to defeat us.”

Silence fell over the three of them. Sareena tried to conjure a strategy but didn’t know what to suggest. Waiting for Scorpion, Kitana and Mileena seemed wise, but who was to say they’d even make it out of the pyramid? And if they didn’t, suppose Noob Saibot or whatever else Onaga had hidden inside came out instead? Havik was right: time wasn’t on their side.

“We have one possible advantage,” Ermac said. “As far as Onaga knows, Sareena is still trapped in the pyramid with the others. If we can keep his attention fixed on us, you might have an opening to the Amulet.”

“Will I be able to just grab it?” she asked. “Remember Shang Tsung said—”

“No,” he said. “That’s too dangerous. We will use our telekinesis to remove it from the altar.”

“Which means I must be the one to draw Onaga’s attention,” Havik said. “I can do it, but I can’t guarantee a long window.”

They each exchanged looks, silently agreeing to the plan or secretly hoping one would come up with something better. Perhaps both. But when no such ideas came, they all nodded and worked out their timing.

“Sounds like a lousy plan,” Sareena said. “But what else have we got?”

* * *

_This is a foul joke Onaga’s playing on me_.

The clone fought unlike anything Mileena had ever encountered. There was skill and even finesse. Perhaps residual memories inherited from Kitana, as it had been with her, but it was unrefined. Savage. Whether the Tarkatan in her was more dominant, or she needed training to master the talents taken from their sister, the clone attacked with an erratic mix of martial arts and animalistic intensity.

She slashed and jabbed with the blades growing from her wrists like a wild beast, but evaded Mileena’s counterattacks with grace and speed. Her devilish eyes were frantic and excited, and she alternated between making hideous snarls and childish giggles as she fought.

“Weak,” she hissed, licking her lips. “Slow. Useless. Why would Father keep _you_?”

“Stay still, and I’ll show you.”

Mileena charged with a Ground Roll, but the clone leapt over her. Without wasting a second, she spun around on her feet and slashed with her sai. The clone blocked and parried, but she kept pace, and what followed was almost a dance of lunges and jabs as each tried to impale the other with their blades.

The clone jumped backward and ground her wrist blades together, sending a spark at Mileena’s face not unlike Baraka. The attack caught her off guard and sent her stumbling back against the wall. It caused minor pain, but she was left more frustrated than anything else.

“Unworthy,” the clone said. “You don’t deserve to be his daughter.”

“What do you know about anything?” she replied. “No one has been more loyal to him than me!”

Her retort seemed to offend her counterpart. “Once I take your pretty face, Father will understand what I am capable of. He’ll accept me as his true daughter.”

“You’re making me sympathize with Kitana right now, and I do not appreciate that.”

She attacked with slashes and stabs with her sai, but the clone evaded her with ease. This time, she didn’t even bother fighting back, and it soon became clear to Mileena she was being toyed with. Anger getting the better of her, she lunged with her sai only to get staggered back when the clone struck her with a Teleport Kick.

Mileena stared at her in shock, unable to believe she’d been hit with one of her own moves. The clone offered a mocking grin and stuck her tongue out with a theatrical bow. “Aw, poor sister,” she said. “So pretty, so fair. So sad and alone.”

“This is not happening …”

“Perhaps you’re right,” the clone said in an exaggerated pitch. “Maybe Father will accept all of us, hmm? Come, let us be family!”

“I was never this annoying!”

She charged again and discovered too late she’d been lured in. Her attack was blocked and countered with a knee to the midsection. She ignored the blow and threw her elbow back, hoping to catch her opponent in the face. But she was blocked again and got her arm held behind her back.

She grunted at the strain in her shoulder and tried to wrestle out of it, but her clone wrapped her arm around her neck. Growling, she threw her weight back and slammed the clone into the wall. But her enemy kept the hold locked and even tightened it.

“Pathetic,” the clone whispered in her ear. “It should’ve been me. He threw me aside, yet kept a weakling like you?”

“You know nothing about me!”

With her free hand, Mileena thrust her sai over her shoulder. The clone ducked and spun her around, and though she blocked the blades at her neck, she failed to defend against the slice to her ribs. For a moment, she thought she could ignore the pain and counter, but upon feeling warm blood drip down her leg, she staggered away clutching her side.

“No more,” the clone said, dragging her blades against the wall to create a hideous screech. “I will peel off your pretty face, and Father will use his magic to make it mine. I will be perfect … for him.”

Mileena’s eye twitched as outrage and even fear clashed in her heart. More used to being the aggressor in combat, she found herself off balance fighting this demented mirror of herself. The very idea this creature would appear from the shadows and try to take everything she’d earned—her very life—made her sick to her stomach.

“I …” she growled. “I will not be replaced!”

Letting out a frustrated roar, she hit her Teleport Kick which managed to stun the clone enough to tackle her. She hoped to grapple her to the floor and overpower her, but the clone held her ground. They wrestled for dominance, sai and blades grinding against each other within inches of flesh.

Mileena glared into her counterpart’s eyes with hate. Her clone hissed and gritted her teeth, the hatred in her eyes matching. Realizing she wasn’t going to overpower her, she instead dropped her weight and allowed the clone to fall on top of her.

Taking advantage of her surprise and momentum, Mileena found an opening and stabbed her abdomen. The clone grunted and answered with an elbow to the chin. She flipped over, but not before taking another slash at Mileena’s face which drew some blood and tore off her mask.

Despite the wound, the clone was quick to her feet. Mileena scrambled up as fast as she could, expecting another onslaught. But when she looked, she found the clone frozen in her tracks, staring at her. Her eyes were wide and jaw dropped, and it was a look that reminded her of Kitana when her sister saw her unmasked for the first time.

“Your face,” the clone said, looking confused and distressed. “You … you’re like me. Like the rest of us. Incomplete … defective and malformed …”

She touched her own face and looked at the blades coming from her arms. She shook her head, muttering to herself, and slowly her confusion turned to anger.

“He picked you,” she said, glaring at Mileena with venomous fury. “He chose you … _you_ … over us. Over me. You’re no better than any of us … and _he picked you_?!”

She let out a crazed shriek and charged with frantic rage. Mileena stabbed and slashed with her sai, but the clone didn’t even acknowledge the wounds. She tackled her to the ground, snarling and screaming, and seemed determined to tear her face off with her bare hands.

“I hate you!” the clone howled. “He threw me aside, but he kept _you_?! He called me imperfect, but _you_ could live as his daughter?!”

Mileena defended against the flailing attacks, but her arms suffered multiple gashes and cuts in the process. Every time she tried to force the clone off, she was pinned back down. Whatever finesse her counterpart inherited from Kitana disappeared—buried beneath Tarkatan savagery that gave her a madwoman’s strength.

“You ungrateful bitch! You should’ve died with the rest of us! He should’ve cast you out! Why you?! Why did he keep you?!”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about!” Mileena shouted back.

“You don’t deserve to be his daughter! You ungrateful, unworthy, spoiled, disgusting brat!”

“Stop saying that! I gave him everything! And it was never enough!”

“I would’ve killed to be you! I would’ve killed to have what you have! Ungrateful! Ungrateful! _Ungrateful_!”

Unable to take anymore, she tangled her sai with the blades growing from the clone’s wrists and held them outstretched. The clone hesitated, unable to move her arms, and was left vulnerable for Mileena to plunge her Tarkatan teeth into her throat.

She ground and tore as the taste of blood filled her mouth. She then snapped her head back, ripping out a chunk of flesh. Blood sprayed from the clone’s jugular onto Mileena’s chest, and she gurgled as she collapsed to the floor.

In a blind fury, Mileena spit the meat and blood out and pounced onto her fallen enemy. “ _You don’t know anything about me_!” she screamed, stabbing at the clone’s face with her sai. “ _You know nothing of Shao Kahn_! _It was Kitana he wanted_! _He only kept me to watch her_! _HE NEVER LOV_ —”

She stopped herself as an awful chill rippled through her. The clone was dead, her face a mangled ruin like the other dead clones strewn about the Flesh Pit. She crawled away, shaking and feeling oddly ill in a way she’d never felt after a battle before.

“I’m the daughter he always wanted,” she whispered to herself. “I am. I am perfection …”

* * *

“Kitana? Kitana, please look at me.”

She didn’t respond. She sat slumped against the stone wall like a ragdoll or puppet that had its strings cut. Her eyes were turned toward the floor, but she wasn’t looking at anything. In all her life, she’d never felt so numb or dead inside.

Jerrod knelt in front of her and tried to get her attention. There was concern and worry in his eyes, but his face was otherwise a stern frown. “I don’t expect this to be easy for you,” he said. “After Shao Kahn, I don’t blame you for your distrust. Believe it or not, the Dragon King doesn’t either. I wish you’d look past his appearance and appreciate what he has done for us.”

Nearby, Hotaru had regained consciousness and attended his comrades. “Your Grace,” he said. “If your daughter is subdued, I would suggest you take her to the portal to Edenia. With all due respect, I’m at the end of my leniency.”

“A moment, Commander,” he replied. “My daughter has suffered more than her share of shocks.”

A part of Kitana almost wanted to laugh at his understatement. It seemed a strange thing to laugh in such circumstances, but there was a seductive appeal that frightened her. She remembered the night of the ball wondering if her sanity had finally broken and that she was actually in some asylum dreaming everything.

Or maybe she really was locked in a dungeon as her mother had promised on the Sea of Blood and this was all the delusion of a shattered mind unable to cope with reality?

Laughter was an escape, and if she started laughing, she probably wouldn’t stop.

“Kitana,” her father said. “I’m begging you: understand what we’re trying to accomplish here. This is a chance to have the life we should’ve had if not for Shao Kahn. I know you’ve suffered, and it pains me. You’re my daughter, and I can’t stand to see you hurt. All I want is for you to finally have what you deserve.”

“Deserve …” she repeated.

For all the talk about deserving a peaceful life with her loved ones, for maybe the first time she wondered if that really was true. Had she not served Shao Kahn for thousands of years? Had she not murdered countless people, innocent or not, in his name? One doesn’t wash away millennia of sins in a few years, no matter how genuine the change of heart.

In fact, she already knew what would happen if she died now. She saw the proof in the form of her revenant. The Kitana of that timeline turned against Kahn and was damned to the Netherealm all the same. And there she was consumed by the darkness in her soul. Reveled in it even.

“I deserve this.”

“What?” Jerrod asked.

She finally looked at her father, and an awful truth came to her. “I deserve to suffer,” she said. “I deserve this pain.”

“Don’t say that.”

“It’s true,” she said, tears leaking from her eyes. “I’m damned.”

Jerrod closed his eyes and shook his head, as if he was in physical pain. It was the look of a man who knew he’d failed. He pulled her close and held her to his chest. His armor was cold against her cheek, and she didn’t hear or feel his heartbeat. She didn’t embrace him and remained limp.

“Kitana,” he said. “I told you how I saw what Shao Kahn saw. For ten thousand years, I had to watch as he molded you into his killer. And for ten thousand years, I knew nothing but anger and despair. There are no words to explain the torture of watching you embrace him as your father. The way he manipulated and twisted your feelings.

“Then one day,” he continued. “You killed Mileena and were suspected of treason. I thought it a lie or misunderstanding. Or perhaps you had turned on him, but only for your own glory. I dared not hope.”

He looked her in the eye and held her face in his hands. His eyes glistened, and a soft, trembling smile came to him.

“I will never forget the day when all doubt was gone. When you declared without question you were his daughter no more. That you would destroy him in my name. In your mother’s name. Restore our home and set things right. That day, for the first time in ten thousand years, I felt comfort. Pride. My brave, brave girl … no matter what he’d done to you, no matter what he took away, you stood when no one else would.”

Her father held her and wiped tears from her cheeks, but she said nothing. She still felt nothing. His smile wavered, and he cast his eyes down in shame.

“And now look what I’ve done.”

Behind them, Hotaru directed his men to leave. Though wounded, he ordered them to fan out and hunt for Kitana’s companions. As they limped away, he checked the injury under his armpit and cringed, but otherwise seemed more irritated than anything else.

“Your Grace,” he said. “I do not presume to give orders to a king, but I must insist. Take her to the portal and return to your realm.”

“What happens next?” he asked, standing. “What of the others?”

“That is up to the Dragon King to decide.” Hotaru stood over Kitana and looked down on her with disdain. “With all due respect, your Grace, if it was up to me, your daughter and those wretches she came here with would face trial for their crimes. I’ve tried to be understanding, but frankly, I think these people are too far gone. Only a truly broken mind would see the order Onaga provides and think it must be—”

He was cut off when the blunt side of Jerrod’s Kwan Do struck him in the head. Hotaru collapsed to the floor with a dazed groan. He tried to get back up, but Jerrod hit him again, knocking him unconscious.

“I’m sorry, Lord Commander. But I did not wait ten thousand years just to break my daughter’s heart.”

* * *

Scorpion stood ready, sword in one hand and kunai in the other. He stared at Noob Saibot before him, who seemed unconcerned. It seemed a strange turn of fate they should face each other again. Both had killed one another. Both were reborn in the Netherealm. Both were used by Quan Chi before breaking away from him.

“Is there anything left of you in there, Bi-Han?” he asked. “Have you kept nothing from Onaga restoring you to life?”

“What do you care, Hasashi?”

“Curiosity more than anything,” he said. “Though I do respect your brother, and I’ve grown fond of Sareena. I thought I’d be remiss not to at least ask for their sake.”

“Considerate. But you waste time. All I have are shades. Memories that don’t feel like my own—like looking at a picture.” He twirled the sickle and held it to his chest. “I do remember hating you.”

Scorpion turned with sharp slash of his sword and cut down the shadow-double sneaking behind him. It dissolved to nothing, leaving only a few inky blotches on the floor and walls. Already knowing what was coming, he blocked Noob’s sickle with the kunai without even looking and drove his sword toward the wraith’s gut.

Noob evaded the attack and swung the sickle at his legs. He blocked that, and what followed was a series of swings and parries between sword and sickle. The sound of metal clanging echoed through the darkened corridor as Scorpion and Noob exchanged attack after attack, though neither gained an advantage.

They broke off their assault and stood staring at each other. Scorpion waited, remembering what a slippery fighter Bi-Han had been when he lived. They fought three times then, and he lost twice. Now, as Noob Saibot, his fighting abilities were even more slippery and devious—and that was without considering the doubles he could summon.

“I wonder though,” Noob said. “Should I hate you, Hasashi? If not for you, I wouldn’t be what I am now.”

“And what are you now, Bi-Han? Because all I see is a shadow.”

“Free,” he said. “Free from emotion. Free from attachment. The only difference between us, Scorpion, is you cling to those things. It is your downfall.”

“I have made many mistakes. I’m looking at one right now. But remembering my family and retaining my humanity are not among them.”

“And that is why you lose.”

They crossed blades again, and the old anger kindled in Scorpion. He had always hated the man who murdered him, but seeing what he’d become—what he let himself be—sickened him even more. Since his revival as a spectre, he’d fought to hold onto his honor even as Quan Chi used it against him.

But Bi-Han not only shed his, he did it without remorse. He threw away his humanity and regarded those who still cared about him with indifference and contempt. Scorpion had learned to respect Kuai Liang, but he would never grant his brother that same privilege.

“You were always a bastard, even in life, Bi-Han. This _is_ who you are. What you always were.”

“Indeed,” he replied. “And I have you to thank for it.”

“And I intend to correct that mistake. I killed you once, Saibot. I’ll do it again, and this time you won’t come back.”

“I could say the same of you, Scorpion.”

Another shadow-double sprang from Noob’s body. He quickly cut it down but was left vulnerable to the Teleport Slam that followed. The disorientation of hurling through space came to an abrupt end when his head crashed into the floor.

He rolled away and tried to get back to his feet, only to get tackled by yet another shadow-double from behind. His head hit the floor again, making his ears ring and the world spin. Acting on instinct, he tried to teleport away and maybe catch Noob from behind, but his abilities were still muted inside the pyramid.

He flickered in place for a moment and was left open to the upward stroke of Noob’s sickle. Blood hit the ceiling as a nasty gash marked his chest. Scorpion fell flat on his back, still dizzy, and barely managed to hold up his sword to defend against Noob plunging the sickle into his heart.

The wraith utilized the curved blade to hook around his sword and snatch it from his grasp. He threw the blade away and landed two blows onto Scorpion’s unprotected face.

In desperation, Scorpion grabbed his collar and delivered a stiff headbutt—which did little to help his own disorientation but at least caught Noob off guard and stunned him. He threw him off and hurled the kunai at the wraith’s face. But he blocked it with his sickle and grabbed hold of the chain connected to it.

Yanking it, Noob conjured another double to punch him in the face. Out on his feet, Scorpion offered no defense as his opponent wrapped the chain around his neck and pulled it tight.

“I would lie if I said I didn’t derive some amusement from your reputation,” Noob said as he strangled him. “The feared Scorpion … hellspawned spectre eternally seeking vengeance. If only they knew you begged before Bi-Han killed you. Yes, I remember that. If I must retain anything from my past life, it will be the relish of tearing out your spine as you pleaded for mercy.”

The chain tightened around Scorpion’s throat. Between the blows to his head, and now his air cut off, the world around him seemed upside down. His vision blurred, and he flailed blindly with nothing but Noob’s awful, emotionless voice in his ear.

“You were always mediocre, Hasashi. Mediocre in life, mediocre in death—an emotional fool who only knows how to attack what’s in front of him. That’s what made you such an easy pawn for Quan Chi.”

With a desperate roar, he tore his hood and mask off and sprayed hellfire in every direction. Flames engulfed the narrow corridor, forcing Noob to release the chain and duck for cover. He took only a brief moment to catch his breath before spewing even more fire behind him. The intense force and heat made the stone crack. The walls gave, and the ceiling collapsed with a thunderous crash.

When the rumbling stopped, a choking Scorpion regained his bearings and prepared for the battle to continue. But when he looked, he saw only a pile of rubble, dust and smoke where Noob Saibot had been. The path was blocked, and he could see no sign of his enemy.

He didn’t believe he was dead. Shaking with anger, he began digging through the rubble, intent on finding the wraith and finishing the job. It wasn’t even revenge anymore. It wasn’t just the taunts or insults. As long as he was on the loose, he posed a threat to Kuai Liang. To Sareena. Maybe even Harumi and Satoshi. Noob Saibot was the monster he created, and that made it his task to put him down.

_The Amulet is what matters_.

He stopped sifting through the collapsed ceiling and collected himself. He looked past his own anger and focused. He was here for a purpose, but it was not to fight Noob Saibot.

There was a time he might’ve put his own grudges ahead of others, but he needed to grow beyond that. As dangerous as Saibot was … as much as Scorpion felt driven to finish their battle … stopping Onaga was the mission.

Though unsatisfied with the outcome, he put his hood and mask back on, retrieved his weapons, and headed for the apex.

“Another time, Bi-Han.”

* * *

Sareena gave Havik the naginata blades and took cover while he and Ermac moved in to engage the Dragon King. She hated standing aside and only watching while others fought, but she understood it was critical she not act until the right moment. Once Ermac dislodged the Amulet from the altar, it was up to her.

Ermac and Havik went in separate directions, intent on striking Onaga from opposite sides. She wasn’t sure how much good that would do, as the Dragon King seemed ready for anything. He remained on guard by the Amulet, waiting like a sentinel, and likely anticipated his opponents would attack with trickery.

Havik made the first move. He sprang onto the apex and charged with the blades. Onaga’s massive size worked against him, as he was slow and easy to hit. Unfortunately, as much as Havik slashed and stabbed with his weapons, they seemed to have little effect. According to legend, a dragon’s hide was said to be nearly impenetrable, and it appeared the Dragon King proved it true.

Although she supposed it wasn’t important—getting the Amulet was the goal—Sareena worried what they would do if they succeeded. Even without the Kamidogu, Onaga was a supremely powerful being who would not fall in combat easily. By the look of it, no less than a god would match him in a straight fight.

Despite Havik’s attacks, the Dragon King didn’t stray far from the altar. He had to know Ermac was waiting and probably expected he would use his telekinesis to steal the Amulet. He downed the Cleric with a backhand and raised his foot to crush the him, but never took his eye off it.

Ermac joined the fray and managed to stagger the Dragon King. He was strong on his own, but his telekinesis added some needed power to his blows. Havik got back to his feet and resumed hacking and slashing, but even with their combined efforts, it was clear they did little more than irritate Onaga.

Sareena felt like she would jump out of her skin. As the battle continued, Onaga showed no sign of taking Havik’s bait. He remained close to the altar and, perhaps deeming him the greater threat, kept most of his attention on Ermac.

Even just watching, her pulse raced and heart pounded. A part of her desperately wished to join in and help. Maybe take a chance at grabbing the Amulet or distracting the Dragon King so Ermac could get it.

_No_ , she told herself. _Stick to the plan_. _They’ll find an opening, and I have to be ready_.

Onaga tried to overwhelm Ermac with sheer size and strength. The ninja defended himself but was forced back to the edge of the apex. He manifested a telekinetic shield to block against the Dragon King’s hammering fists, and with each blow, he crumbled—first to one knee, then both. Despite his mask, Sareena saw the strain on his face as he collapsed under Onaga’s thunderous assault.

It was then Havik made his move. He dove onto Onaga’s back and rammed the two blades into the Dragon King’s neck. They left little to no wound, but Onaga was sufficiently hurt or angered enough to roar.

Havik jumped off and answered with a mad cackle. He jabbed at the Dragon King while backing off the apex, and this time, Onaga did follow.

Sareena’s eyes met Ermac’s, and they both knew this was their opening. Raising to one knee, he outstretched his arm toward the altar where the Amulet began to glow with green energy. After a moment’s resistance, it dislodged and floated into the air.

Wasting no time, Sareena sprang onto the apex with her hands out, ready to catch it. She just needed to get it and break for the portal. Worst case, she’d throw it over the side and let it get lost in the void of the Nexus.

She ran to the Amulet as fast as she could. It was within her grasp. She could make it … they had done it!

Ermac’s chest burst with a spray of blood and bone. He grunted in pain, and his eyes widened upon seeing Onaga’s thick tail protruding through his body. It lifted him up and curved so that the Dragon King could see him face to face before it snapped like a whip and threw the ninja’s body across the apex.

The green energy faded away, and the Amulet fell to the ground just out of Sareena’s reach. She had only a moment feel Onaga’s eyes on her before she attempted to dive for it. The Dragon King stopped her with a ball of fire spewed from his mouth. The blast knocked her out of the air and sent her tumbling to the ground.

“I UNDERESTIMATED YOU PEOPLE,” he said. “I BROUGHT YOU PEACE. PARADISE. A PROPER WORLD, WHERE ALL MADE SENSE AND EVIL HAD NO PLACE. BUT I SEE NOW HOW IT IS. I SEE WHAT MUST BE DONE.”

He picked the Amulet up and placed it back on the altar. A pulse of energy surged through the Kamidogu pieces, and Sareena felt the power coming from it as she regained her bearings. She looked up at the towering Dragon King and terror gripped her heart as he gazed upon her with disgust and anger.

“SO BE IT. IF YOU PEOPLE WILL NOT ACCEPT MY DREAM,” he said, gripping the Amulet. “LET IT BE A NIGHTMARE INSTEAD.”

A harsh roar of power came with a flash of blinding light.

Onaga had activated the Kamidogu.

**End of Chapter XVI**


	17. Punishment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All suffer the Dragon King's wrath.

The horizon became a pinkish hue as the sun rose, turning the ocean to a dark teal, like granite. It was so early the seabirds hadn’t yet begun squawking. The air was cool and damp, but comfortable. Waves broke along the shore as the tide came in with a gentle, soothing rhythm. The sand was soft and powdery, looking almost like sugar.

Jade went to the beach outside the palace to practice katas with her staff, as she often did when she had trouble sleeping. Exercise helped clear her mind, but she paused to watch the coming sunrise. Memories of the old world had faded, but if there was one thing she wished to hold onto, it was how new the Edenian sunrise was to her.

There was beauty in Outworld, but even at its best, she found it paled in comparison to her home realm. She was getting accustomed to this new world, but the beauty of the sunrise still moved her to tears. She would let go of everything from her old life, but she didn’t want to take the Edenian dawn for granted.

She only wished Kitana could be with her to enjoy it.

As the sky continued to brighten into early morning, she took her staff and returned to the palace. All was well, as it should be, despite tension with the Seidan Guard following the Princesses escape. Although King Jerrod was able to smooth things over with Lord Commander Hotaru, the Seidans had not taken kindly to the deaths of their comrades. Admittedly, she couldn’t blame them.

If she were to guess, that was more likely Mileena than Kitana. Even in this new world, it was no secret the younger twin was the more impulsive and daring of the two. That made her fun to be around—for Jade now had fond memories of the two sisters and herself playing and laughing and enjoying their lives—but it also meant a quick temper and reckless attitude.

She didn’t know what would satisfy the Seidans when they returned, but she hoped it wouldn’t be too severe. How awful would it be for them to finally gain peace and happiness just for it to be thrown away in hasty suspicion?

 _Oh, Kitana_ , she thought as she entered the courtyard. _Why couldn’t you just let it go?_

With each passing day, Jade lost more of their old life under Shao Kahn, and she was glad to be rid of it. Aside from the occasional sleepless night, she embraced this world she’d been granted and the memories that came with them. Not just her friendship with both Kitana and Mileena, but a mother and father she could at last know and love. A brother she never knew even existed. To be part of the Edenian nobility and hailed as one of the realm’s most trusted generals.

And Kotal. She had her beloved Kotal back … alive and without Shang Tsung or Shao Kahn’s interference in their lives. He was Kahn, as he should be, and leading Outworld in a golden age. She couldn’t ask for better.

She didn’t blame her friend for her distrust. She remembered enough of their old life to know Kitana had suffered too much betrayal to accept anything without suspecting an awful price. But why couldn’t she stay put? Why rush out to stir trouble? What could be so terrible she risked becoming a fugitive to confront it?

Another earthquake hit. It came suddenly and was the worst one yet. The ground thrashed and jumped, causing her to nearly fall down. Marble statues in the garden toppled over and shattered. She heard the palace itself moan and shudder.

It eventually passed, leaving eerie silence in its wake. Jade thought the worst was over until she noticed the sky had darkened. Ominous clouds rolled in from the distance and settled over the land in shades of red and black like blood and ink mixed together. Thunder growled like a waking beast, and wind picked up from the sea.

All would’ve been unsettling enough, but what chilled her blood was how fast it happened. Within minutes, despite still being early morning, it appeared as if night had fallen on Edenia.

“What in Argus’s name …?”

A bell rang somewhere in the town outside the palace. Then another one rang. And another. The ringing spread like a sickness, and soon a haunting cacophony echoed throughout the village. The bells could mean any number of things, but at that moment, their constant, almost frantic ringing made her think of a ticking clock—as if time had run out.

“You two,” she said, approaching the nearest Edenian guards. “Has King Jerrod returned yet?”

“N-no, my lady,” one answered. “I think he’s still away with Lord Commander Hotaru.”

“I figured,” she said. “Find Queen Sindel. Something’s wrong.”

The two guards nodded and rushed into the palace as thunder continued to rumble over the constant ringing. Jade went to the front gate where a growing crowd had gathered and seemed to be trying to get in. In response, a line of guardsman formed to block the swarming people from entering.

“What’s going on?”

“People are fleeing to the palace,” said the Captain of the guards. “We don’t know why yet, but more and more people are coming.”

She hesitated, unsure of what to do. Though it seemed nonviolent for the moment, she sensed the fear and panic festering. If the people came looking for safety, her instinct was to let them in. But she didn’t want to risk a mob forming. She couldn’t guess what the people were afraid of but suspected it wouldn’t take much for the situation to turn ugly.

“I … I just sent word to the Queen,” she said. “She’ll know what to do. I hope. In the meantime, try to keep everyone calm. See if you can find out what’s wrong.”

Now the palace bells joined the maelstrom. The desperate ringing did nothing to ease the people and began making her head throb. She almost wished she could order them to stop. What was happening, and where was Queen Sindel?

“ _We’re under attack_!”

The rider on horseback cut through the crowd and reached the palace gate. Jade rushed to him as he came to a stop and found frightened eyes and pale skin like a man who’d seen a ghost. “What do you mean?”

“We’re under attack!” he repeated, out of breath. “I don’t know where they came from … it’s like they just appeared! They’re sieging the city walls right now!”

The people in the crowd gasped and whimpered in fear. Soldiers looked to their Captains and each other, hoping for direction. Questions of who was attacking and why were answered only with confusion. The bells continued ringing, warning all who heard of the danger, while thunder above seemed to hint at worse to come.

Eventually, all eyes were on Jade. In turn, she ordered the Captain, “Let the people in.”

“My lady?”

“Do it!” she said before turning to the other men. “To arms! Alert all soldiers! Prepare for battle!”

It was chaos at the palace gate. People filtered in—most grateful for the refuge, all in terror. Guards ran about alerting their fellow soldiers to spread word. Joining the bells, horns blared and gongs rang to signal the coming battle, though against who or what, no one know.

Jade backed against the palace wall and grasped her staff. She slowed her breathing but felt her heart pound. She had allowed the memories of her old life to fade, and remained a formidable fighter in this new one, but in a cruel turn, she needed the Outworld warrior of Shao Kahn now.

She looked up to the sky, which appeared even darker and more menacing. Thunder rumbled, and amidst the swirling black and red shapes, for the briefest of moments, she thought she saw a shape: a winged beast with angry eyes looking down on her.

“Lady Jade!” one of the guards shouted as he ran to her. “The Queen is gone!”

“What?!”

“We can’t find her,” he said. “We’ve searched the palace, and no one has seen her. Queen Sindel is missing!”

Fear grasped Jade’s spine with icy fingers. For some reason, an image of the Sea of Blood popped into her mind. She looked toward the sinister sky again and felt in her gut something was terribly wrong.

* * *

As Sareena had before him, Scorpion navigated the pyramid corridors quickly but cautiously. He kept his sword in hand, ready for battle if it found him, and moved up and down the stone halls careful not to get lost. He didn’t turn a corner or enter a passageway unless he felt certain he could find his way back if needed.

He managed to find stairs and went up a level or two, when the hieroglyphics lining the walls began to glow. They lit up like candles, first a dark orange that shifted to blood red, and soon everything shook like an earthquake. A hush came over the pyramid, and suddenly a wave of red light surged through the walls with a thunderous shriek.

Scorpion ducked and braced himself, thinking it was some kind of attack or trap. Once the pulse passed, however, the hieroglyphics faded and all was still again. The noise faded like a passing banshee. He looked around, perplexed as to what that was, and gripped his sword expecting some new danger to appear. But there was only silence.

He resumed his trek but couldn’t shake the feeling of dread in his gut. Whatever that pulse was, he doubted it was some incidental feature of the pyramid. Something happened, and though he couldn’t guess what, he was sure he’d encounter at least part of the result before finding the apex.

He reached a dead-end and then heard the rumbling of passageways. The path behind him blocked as the stone wall slid closed, sealing him in. He had a moment to wonder what he’d do next, when another passage opened to his right, revealing a shadowy chamber. A deathly draft brushed against him, and the sound of footsteps echoed in the darkness.

“Damn it,” he grumbled.

Sword raised, he entered, ready for whatever new horror Onaga had in store for him. The chamber slowly lit with dim green light. One by one, torches lining the wall popped into flame. Looking around, he realized he’d seen structures like this before. It was the kind of temple one would find in the Netherealm. An ancient place where evil energies surged and dark beings would gather to worship and gather their strength.

A frigid cold filled the room, and he realized it had been a place like this he was first turned into a spectre. He knew what was waiting for him.

He appeared from the shadows ahead like they birthed him. His wore familiar black leather with razor spikes lining his shoulders. His pallid white face stuck out in the darkness, almost as if he was glowing. The sorcerer had his hands behind his back and a warm smile on his face. He looked upon Scorpion as if reuniting with an old friend.

“Ah,” said Quan Chi. “We meet again.”

The mere sight of him made Scorpion’s blood boil. “Very well,” he growled. “If the only way forward if cutting through you, then Onaga has paid me a kindness.”

“Onaga, you say? Sounds familiar.”

The sorcerer scratched his chin in curiosity and seemed to have no knowledge of the situation. Somehow that made Scorpion angrier. Had Onaga really brought Quan Chi back into existence just to torment him? For all his talk about creating a perfect world, he would allow the bastard to live again out of petty revenge?

“You seem to have me at a disadvantage, Scorpion. I have no memory of this place or how I came to be here.”

“Don’t concern yourself. I’ll make this quick.”

“Oh,” he replied with a sigh. “We’re still on this, are we? Honestly, it’s beyond tiresome at this point.”

“I agree,” he said, striding toward him with murder on his mind. “Now I can finally be rid of you.”

Quan Chi chuckled as he backed away. His eyes were cold and steady, which gave Scorpion pause. He could be bluffing, but usually when Quan Chi had that look in his eyes, it meant he had a trick up his sleeve.

“You know, Scorpion, we’ve been playing this game long enough. I certainly have tried to rid myself of you, but then it was your tenacity that appealed to me in the first place. Thus, I’ve decided to take a different approach. Rather than fight, I thought I’d give you what you’ve always wanted for a change.”

He stepped aside, revealing someone kneeling on the floor behind him. It was a woman clad in what appeared to be a white kimono stained in blood and dirt. Her breathing was ragged and harsh like broken glass. Her head down, long black hair hung as if soaking wet. And in her hair, to Scorpion’s horror, was a dying rose.

“… no …”

She looked up at him. Despite the hair hanging in front of her face, he saw her skin was white as a ghost. Her eyes were like milk, and dark make-up smeared down her cheeks from her eyes, as if she’d been crying. Her lips were purple, and her throat was marked with stitches across a thick scar.

She gazed upon Scorpion, and an ugly croak emerged from her. “Hanzo,” she said with a raspy voice. “You shouldn’t have left us.”

“Harumi …” he said. “… no, no … not you …”

“You let us die, Hanzo,” she said, standing. “Look what you let happen.”

“What have you done?” he said to Quan Chi. “ _What did you do to her, you bastard_?!”

“I’ve given you what you wanted, Hanzo,” he replied. “I’ve revived your wife. Now the two of you can be spectres together.” He grinned with malevolent glee in his eyes. “Romantic, is it not?”

Scorpion charged at him, roaring like a beast, but staggered back when Harumi slashed at him with a hiss. Four bleeding cuts marked his chest, and he saw she wore gloves with razor-sharp claws for fingers.

“Beware, Scorpion,” Quan Chi said. “Your bride, like any rose, has thorns.”

* * *

Kitana was half in a daze as her father pulled her to her feet and stuck her fans in her hands. She almost tripped over her own feet when he began leading her down the corridor, leaving the unconscious Hotaru behind.

“There’s a portal open further down,” Jerrod said. “It’ll take you back home.”

She slowed to a stop and stood blinking at him, unable to find the words. Yes, she saw him turn on Hotaru, but she’d been through too much already. Her mother, Liu, now her father … it was like whiplash. She stared at him and tried to muster some sense out of it, but it just left her feeling drained.

“I …” she stammered. “I don’t … you can’t …”

“I realize none of this has been easy for you, ‘Tana, and I am sorry for that,” he said. “But please believe me: I am on your side.”

“You …” she said, still struggling. “But you … you can’t just …”

“I’ve made my choice. Onaga may have brought me back, he may have given us our home again …” He sighed and hung his head. When he looked at her, she saw the regret and shame in his eyes. “But I saw the life in you die. I can’t bear to see you like that. I choose you.”

As if she awoke from a numbing drug, Kitana’s senses slowly returned to her. It was true: her father was turning against the Dragon King. For her.

“F-father … what if …?”

“Listen to me,” he said, taking her by the shoulders. “I want you to return to Edenia. You’ll be safe there. I will deal with the Dragon King.”

“No,” she said, grabbing his arms. “No, you can’t face him alone! You’ll be …!”

A sad smile came to her father’s face. It was a look that revealed he knew he likely would not survive. As tears came to her eyes, he held her and gently pressed his forehead against hers. “I wish we had more time, ‘Tana,” he whispered. “I would love to have known the real you.”

“Father, please,” she said. “Let me come with you. I could help …”

“You’ve fought enough.” He caressed her hair and looked at her as if he was taking a picture with his mind. “Just know … whatever happens, however things turn out … I am proud of you. I know you served Shao Kahn. I know you think your past will always haunt you. But you are making things right. _That_ is who you are. Not what Shao Kahn made you. For that, I will _always_ be proud.”

They embraced. She held him tight, as if she could keep him from leaving her. This was how she wanted to remember her father. This was the father she always wanted—not some false dream or idealized myth, but a man, flaws and all, who knew her for who she really was and loved her and understood her.

That was worth more to her than anything Onaga could offer.

As they hugged, the hieroglyphics lining the walls began to glow. As it had been with Scorpion elsewhere in the pyramid, they turned a hellish shade of orange before a red pulse surged through the stone hall with the screech of an inhuman beast.

When it passed and the light in the runes faded, Kitana and her father were left standing in the dim corridor with nothing but an expectant hush and unsettling chill in the air. Jerrod looked around, perplexed and concerned, but an awful feeling formed in her gut.

“That was strange,” he said. “Listen, Kitana, I must—”

He convulsed, and his grip on her turned painfully tight. His eyes widened as the color left his flesh, and a sick gurgling could be heard coming from his stomach. Kitana held her father and looked into his eyes, already knowing what was coming.

 _No_ , she thought as blood leaked from his mouth. _No, no, no, no_ … _please, it’s not fair!_

Jerrod’s body arched, and his head snapped back as a strange white material erupted from his mouth with a spray of blood. It wrapped around his face and spread all over his body, holding his arms out in an almost crucifix pose.

Kitana held onto her father as blood seeped from his armor. The white material hadn’t just burst through his mouth but out his chest and was engulfing his body. It tightened like a coiled snake, and she could only watch in horror as her father was crushed and broken before her eyes.

The material retracted, dropping Jerrod’s lifeless body to the floor, and it was then she saw what it was: hair. White hair. It snapped back like the crack of a whip and settled on the purple clad woman further down the hall.

Sindel greeted her daughter with a cruel grin, revealing it was not the loving mother she’d left in Edenia or even the haunted woman she saved from Shao Kahn in another timeline. It was the Sindel she last saw on the Sea of Blood, and she had come back to finish what she started.

“There you are. _My_ Kitana … I missed you …”

* * *

Mileena didn’t know what to make of the strange pulse any more than her companions. As it had through the rest of the pyramid, it bathed the recreation of Shang Tsung’s Flesh Pit with red light in a brief flash before leaving uneasy silence in its wake.

Putting her mask back on and retrieving her sai, she chose not to dwell on it. She took one last look at the malformed clone she’d killed and felt a newfound desire to peel the skin off Onaga for making her confront such a thing. She’d accepted the Dragon King as the enemy who needed to be killed, but now she truly wanted him dead.

As she searched for the way out, she heard a noise from around the corner. On reflex, she drew her sai and expected another clone waiting for her. She thought to ignore it, but finding there were no other exits, she was left with no choice by to head in the direction of the noise she heard.

Her heart pounded as she turned the corner, not sure what to expect. She found another series of tubes filled with a translucent green fluid and more incomplete clones strewn about. Dead like the others, but at least these didn’t seem to have been murdered by a demented sister.

Up ahead, a tall figure entered the Flesh Pit that made her stomach drop. He was a massive, hulking man wearing minimal armor to showcase his physique. His face was obscured by a skull-shaped helmet with blades attached to the front, almost like a crown, but there was no doubt who’s burning eyes those were.

“Father?”

A strange mix of confusion, relief and fear clashed in Mileena’s heart as she rushed to Shao Kahn. She couldn’t guess how or why he’d been brought back, but at the moment, she didn’t care. If her father was alive again, all would be well. He would take care of the Dragon King and set things right.

“Father!” she called. “I-I can’t believe it!”

He turned his gaze to her, which made her slow to a stop and stand at attention. “Ah, daughter,” he said. “You’re here, too.”

“How …?” she stammered. “How did you get here? I thought … I thought you were …?”

“I’m wondering that myself,” he said, looking around. “This would certainly appear to be the Flesh Pit, yet it’s unfamiliar.”

“It’s the Dragon King. Onaga. He’s the one doing this. We have to … to …” She trailed off upon seeing the woman appear from behind her father. Long black hair and ivory skin, clad in familiar bluish-purple ninja attire. She’d know that face anywhere. “Kitana?”

Kitana stood up straight with a proud smile when Kahn took her by the chin, as if inspecting her. “Shang Tsung has outdone himself this time,” he said. “Perfect. Absolutely perfect. Just as I always wanted.”

“Kitana,” Mileena said, feeling uneasy. “What … what are you doing here? Father … wh-why is she …?”

She looked at her with raised her eyebrows. “Kitana?” she repeated. “Yes, Kitana. Shall that be my name, Father?”

“No. That name is tainted to me now.” He caressed her hair with a longing look in his eyes. “Perhaps _you_ should be Mileena?”

Mileena’s stomach dropped. This couldn’t be, she told herself. She was the daughter he always wanted. She was the most loyal. Even if he created another clone—one that looked exactly like Kitana no less—he wouldn’t just cast her aside, would he?

“N-no!” she shouted. “ _I’m_ Mileena! Mileena is _my_ name!”

They looked at her. Their father seemed ambivalent, but the clone frowned in disdain. “Oh, yes,” Kahn said with a sigh. “What am I to do with you? Which one shall be Mileena from now on?”

“Let us decide, Father,” said the clone. “Let my sister and I see who is most worthy to be your true daughter.”

“Excellent idea! Let’s see who the real Mileena should be!”

“ _No_! _I’m_ the real Mileena!”

“And this will be your chance to prove it, won’t it?”

The clone drew two curved daggers from her belt and began approaching. Her yellow eyes burned, and she grinned, revealing fangs. Mileena backed away, her knees weak and hands shaking. She looked to her father, desperately hoping he would intervene or do something.

But he only said one more word:

“FIGHT!”

* * *

Sareena kept her eyes shut as the world around her was engulfed in light. The Kamidogu flared with a terrifying roar, and she braced herself. For what, she wasn’t sure. Her first thought was she might disintegrate into dust. Or maybe be burned alive.

When silence returned, she opened her eyes not knowing what to expect. To her surprise, she was still on the apex of Onaga’s pyramid. The Dragon King loomed over her, his face stern and cold. The only sound was the droning wind of the Nexus. He had activated the Kamidogu, but nothing had changed that she could see.

“What,” she said. “What did you do?”

“I SEE NOW THE REALMS ARE NOT READY FOR MY PERFECT WORLD,” he replied. “IN ORDER TO APPRECIATE MY BENEVOLENCE, THEY MUST SEE HOW BAD THINGS CAN BE.”

A chill went through her blood—made worse by how familiar his words struck her. A memory of Shinnok flashed into her mind. _I’ve allowed you to exist_ , he once said. _Are you not grateful?_

“Onaga,” she said, her skin crawling. “What have you done?”

He snarled as Havik leapt onto his back, digging into his neck with the naginata blades. They still couldn’t pierce his hide, but the Cleric desperately ground the weapons into his scales as hard as he could.

Sareena pounced onto the Dragon King and clawed at his face, hoping to damage his eyes. She knew her efforts were fruitless but didn’t know what else to do. Ermac’s body lay on the other side of the apex in a pool of blood. If he was somehow still alive, he was no help to them now. She could try grabbing the Amulet, but even if it didn’t kill her, she didn’t know what state the realms would be left in.

Onaga roared. He gripped her by the neck and slammed her into the floor with enough power to crack the stone. The wind was knocked out of her in an instant, and her vision turned into a dizzying spiral of colors. She almost didn’t feel the follow-up kick that sent her tumbling across the floor like a ragdoll.

She tried to stand, more on instinct than conscious effort, and collapsed back down. Her vision cleared just enough to see Onaga snatch Havik off his back and slam him into the floor twice.

His eyes burning, he then picked the Cleric up by the waist and barked, “I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU!”

Havik had time to groan, “Aw, this is gonna suck …” before he was ripped in half with a sickening crunch. His insides sprayed onto the floor at Onaga’s feet, and his legs were thrown in one direction while his torso in the opposite.

Too dazed to scream, Sareena could only watch in horror. Her eyes met Havik’s, and he seemed more bemused than anything else. A final spray of blood vomited from his mouth, and the Cleric of Chaos went silent and still.

She looked up at the Dragon King, and he seemed even taller. Paralyzing fear came to her as he strode toward her and an awful realization hit: she was alone. Ermac and Havik were dead, and her remaining allies were trapped in the pyramid. Somehow, in a foul turn, the fate of the realms was left to her.

“YOU DISGUSTING WRETCHES!” Onaga shouted. “ALL OF YOU: _INGRATES_! UNWORTHY! NONE OF YOU DESERVE MY GENEROSITY! NONE OF YOU DESERVE MY MERCY! NOW YOU WILL LEARN! _ALL OF YOU_! I’VE UNLEASHED EVERY HORROR, EVERY FEAR YOU HAVE! NONE WILL BE SPARED!”

“Wait,” she said. “You don’t mean …?”

“OH, YES! NOT JUST YOU INFIDELS THAT CAME HERE! _ALL_ WILL KNOW MY WRATH! I’VE BROUGHT THEM ALL BACK! THE TARKATANS! THE BLACK DRAGON! THE RED DRAGON! THE TEKUNIN! _QUAN CHI_! _EVEN SHAO KAHN_! I WILL LET THEM ROAM FREE AND PILLAGE THE REALMS!”

“No! No, you can’t do that!”

“IT’S ALREADY DONE! SHAO KAHN’S EXTERMINATION SQUADS INVADE THE EARTH AS WE SPEAK! YOUR PRECIOUS SUB-ZERO HAS A LEGION OF CYBORGS BEARING DOWN ON HIM NOW! MY UNDEFEATABLE ARMY MARCHES ON EDENIA, _AND THEY WILL BURN IT TO THE GROUND_!”

“ _But they didn’t do anything_!” she shrieked. “ _They did nothing wrong_!”

“NOW THEY WILL LEARN,” he hissed. “WHEN THE FORCES OF EVIL HAVE HAD THEIR WAY, ONLY THEN WILL I INTERVENE! ONLY THEN WILL I STEP IN AS THEIR SAVIOR, AND PERHAPS THEN YOU PEOPLE WILL FINALLY SEE WHAT I OFFER! MAYBE THEN WILL YOU _APPRECIATE_ MY BENEVOLENCE!”

Sareena stared at him, stunned and at last understanding the depth of his depravity. He would plunge all the realms into darkness because he wasn’t sufficiently worshipped. For all his talk of peace and perfect worlds—for all his speeches about apathetic gods and cruel Titans—he truly was no different than Shinnok or Kronika.

“You’re insane!” she shouted, getting to her feet. “There are innocent people out there! I won’t let you—”

He slapped her aside with a disdainful sneer. “I WILL NOT BE LECTURED ABOUT MORALITY BY A DEMON OF ALL THINGS,” he said. “YOU’VE BEEN A THORN IN MY SIDE LONG ENOUGH, SAREENA OF THE NETHEREALM. HAD I KNOWN WHAT TROUBLE YOU WOULD BE, I WOULD’VE SENT MORE THAN JUST ASHRAH TO DEAL WITH YOU.”

She spit blood from her mouth and backed away as Onaga strode toward her. She tried to think. She wanted to fight. She wanted to save everyone, but she was no match for the Dragon King.

“NOW TO END TH—”

He grunted and stumbled when a fireball struck the back of his head. He turned, and Sareena looked to the other side of the apex where she saw a spiral of green light. The souls that comprised Ermac left his body and gathered around a figure she couldn’t make out.

“ _Dragon King_!” a voice bellowed. “ _You face me now_!”

The light faded as the souls were absorbed, revealing who had come. Sareena couldn’t believe her eyes. There … on Onaga’s pyramid at the center of existence … at long last, Shang Tsung stood as a defender of the realms.

**End of Chapter VXII**


	18. Sacrifice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The darkest hour...

Shang Tsung felt a surge of power as he absorbed the last of Ermac’s souls. His muscles tightened, senses sharpened, and he hadn’t looked so young in ages. It was almost intoxicating. The collective consciousness that had been Ermac spoke one last time, reminding him of his task, and accepted their fate with grim resignation, hoping their sacrifice would be worth it.

His sense returning, he certainly hoped so, too. Gazing upon his enemy, the Dragon King was everything he anticipated. Not just sheer size, he sensed great power in the beast—even without the Kamidogu at his command.

“AND WHAT IS THIS?” Onaga demanded. “OF ALL BEINGS TO COME FORTH … OF ALL CHALLENGERS TO DEFY ME … I FIND A SNAKE? WHAT DO YOU WANT SORCERER? TO GROVEL AT MY FEET AS YOU WOULD SHAO KAHN?”

Sareena was motionless on the ground behind the Dragon King, her face frozen in shock and disbelief. And that, combined with Onaga’s insult, crystallized why he made his choice.

Perhaps, after all he’d been through, there was some small part of him that wanted to attempt the “noble” thing just once. But this was no change of heart. He knew he was far beyond redemption even if he wanted it. This wasn’t even a power grab, even if taking control of the Kamidogu was tempting.

It is often said love is the strongest force in life, but Shang Tsung never believed that. As far as he was concerned, if there was one truth he held in his long existence, it was that spite was the greatest motivator. And ultimately, the idea of being the great savior when all expected treachery and cowardice amused him more than he imagined.

“I’ve conquered gods, Titans, and Shao Kahn himself, Dragon King,” he said. “What could I possibly fear from you?”

Onaga grimaced and, without looking, swiped Sareena aside with his tail. She was thrown across the apex and tumbled over the edge. He then growled and strode forward, shaking the floor beneath his thunderous footsteps.

As the massive beast approached, Tsung took his fighting stance and braced himself. The schemer in him suggested he attempt bargaining. But the warrior in him … the part of him that had once been a Champion of Mortal Kombat and took pride in his skills … welcomed the challenge.

_Rue the day you overlooked me, Dragon King_ , he thought. _When this snake strikes, he aims to kill_.

With a flap of his wings, Onaga lifted into the air and raised his fists with a great bellow. Tsung rolled out of the way at the last second as the behemoth crashed down where he’d been standing. The ground shattered, and he answered with a pair of Skull Fireballs to the Dragon King’s face.

Onaga barely flinched as the fireballs burst off him. More irritated than wounded, he growled and tried to grab Tsung by his head. The sorcerer slid under his grip and stepped off his knee to kick him in the jaw.

Hitting the Dragon King was like striking solid stone and did little aside aggravate him even more. Tsung backflipped away when he tried to smash him into the ground with both fists. He then conjured a magic shield to defend against the spew of fire that followed.

Before the flames cleared, he morphed into Sub-Zero and slid away on a sheet of ice to avoid Onaga’s grasp. He threw a freezing blast at the Dragon King’s face as a parting shot, knowing it would only anger him further.

From Sub-Zero, he changed to Kung Lao and hurled his razor-tipped hat at Onaga’s chest. The beast grunted in pain, but the hat did little to damage his thick hide. In a flash, he morphed to Kano and struck with a Cannonball Roll.

Onaga stumbled back a step, uninjured but fuming. “YOU’LL NEED MORE THAN YOUR MASQUERADE TRICKS, SORCERER! COME AT ME WITH EVERY FIGHTER YOU CAN IMAGINE, AND IT STILL WON’T BE ENOUGH!”

Tsung returned to his normal form and backed away. He’d seen enough. The Dragon King was confident in his might, and if angered, would resort to brute force attacks without consideration. He wouldn’t be bested in standard combat.

But the sorcerer had a plan.

* * *

Scorpion hit the floor with burning pain in his side. Blood dripped around his back as he tried to get to his feet. He focused on Quan Chi’s grinning face and put all his heart into the goal of tearing the bastard sorcerer’s head from his shoulders.

But just as he reached his knees, more pain struck his back with multiple slices. He grunted and stumbled, unable to defend himself from the blow to the head that followed.

Harumi moved around him as a blurred white shape. In her kimono, she seemed to almost glide, and her claws glistened in the dark. Despite his fresh wounds, he paid no mind to her and lunged at Quan Chi again. He didn’t even get close before Harumi stopped him with more slices to his chest, an elbow to the throat, and final kick to jaw that sent him back to the floor.

“I do hope you realize, Scorpion,” Quan Chi said. “Your bride is not under some enchantment. Killing me won’t save you from her.”

Scorpion ignored him as he stood up. He spared only a glance at Harumi, whose face remained obscured by her black hair, and returned his attention to ending the sorcerer. Despite Quan Chi’s taunts, he focused only on his vengeance. He needed to. Because the alternative …

Harumi was all over him with swipes and slashes to his chest, ribs, and thighs before he could even attack. Bleeding cuts marked his body by fours as she clawed at him like a vicious animal. Amidst the onslaught, he caught a glimpse of her face: a mask of cold fury so unlike the warm, vibrant woman he loved.

A final uppercut left him on his back again. In all his life, he’d never felt so overwhelmed in combat. He’d faced foes too great for him in the past—Bi-Han and even Moloch and Drahmin in another time. But this was perhaps the first time he faced an opponent intent on hurting him as much as possible before finishing him.

“Will you not fight, Scorpion?” she asked, her voice harsh and cruel. “I thought that was what you were best at?”

“Harumi,” he said, backing away. “Listen to me … Quan Chi … he’s the one who …”

“What, Hanzo?” she interrupted. “Killed me? Yes, he did do that. Once.”

He reached his feet, but continued backing away from her. He was not used to trying reason in battle. The numerous cuts she inflicted all over his body burned. He knew he should defend himself, but how could he fight his own wife?

“He took you from me,” he said. “He took our son!”

She stopped. The hair in front of her face hid her expression as she stood before him, breathing her ragged, croaking breaths.

“Quan Chi has done many things,” she said. “There are other timelines, Hanzo. We all know that now. In one, it was he who killed Satoshi and me. In another, it was indeed Bi-Han after all. There was even a timeline where Raiden killed us. But through all those lives, do you know what the common link was?”

Without warning, she plunged her claws into his sides. The blades slid between his ribs, and Scorpion howled in pain. She looked him in the eye, her face etched in pure rage.

“ _It’s always your fault_!”

She threw him to the floor. He tried to move on instinct, but only reached his hands and knees before she began jabbing at his back with the claws. She didn’t go deep, but within seconds, his back was riddled with dozens of bleeding puncture wounds.

“My father warned me about you,” she said, circling him. “He never knew you were part of the Shirai Ryu, but he sensed what kind of man you were. He told me: that’s a man who would doom himself and all he cares about for his own pride.”

She kicked him in the side.

“You call it honor,” she continued. “But it’s arrogance, Hanzo. You didn’t need to be a ninja. Your father didn’t even want you to join the clan, remember? He thought to spare you from his life.”

She kicked him again.

“But you wouldn’t listen. You wanted to be the great warrior. To be a Shirai Ryu, like your father and his father before him. A thief and murderer just like them.”

Scorpion roared. He sprang to his feet and pushed her against the wall by her throat. His fist was raised, ready to strike, but Harumi showed no fear. She glared at him, her dead eyes cold.

“Well?” she asked. “Will you finally do it yourself this time?”

He froze, mortified at what he was about to do. He released her and backed away, feeling ill, and offered no defense when she tore into him again without hesitation. Slashes to his chest, abdomen, and back left him out on his feet. He stumbled away, the chamber seeming to spin, and another painful slash at his leg made him crumble to his knees.

“Kana …” he moaned. “… please …”

She dragged her claws across his face, and he at last collapsed to the floor. His strength left him. He could barely lift his arms, and pain wracked his entire body. Harumi straddled him and pinned him down by plunging her claws into his shoulders.

Nearby, Quan Chi laughed and clapped. “Glorious! Simply glorious, my dear! I should’ve brought you back sooner! Finish him.”

She removed her right set of claws from his shoulder and placed them over his chest. He tried to speak, but he didn’t even have the strength for that. He looked up at his beloved wife, searching for the woman who had been his purpose and reason for so long, but saw only a vengeful spectre. For the first time, Scorpion had no fight left in him.

“Your heart has always belonged to me, Hanzo,” Harumi said, digging her blades into his chest. “Now I will take it.”

* * *

It didn’t make sense.

Johnny Cage looked out the window of his home, and the normally blue sky had become an orange and black hell. The familiar city skyline was in flames, and he smelled the smoke from where he was. Worse, he could even hear the echoes of fighting, screaming, and things he knew weren’t human.

He turned to Sonya, who was frantically tapping on her phone so hard it looked like she might break it. “I’m not getting through!” she snapped. “I can’t get in touch with Jax! I don’t know what the hell is going on!”

He looked out the window again, for once at a loss for words. Only moments ago, everything was as it should be. But then, without warning, the sky darkened and a nightmarish vortex appeared over the center of the city. Within minutes, everything was in chaos.

He checked the news, though channels crapped out one by one. Whatever this was, it was happening all over the country. Probably the world.

“You don’t think,” he said. “Could this be Outworld?”

“It’s not local, I can tell that much,” she said, still trying in vain to contact Jax. “I know a portal when I see one.”

“But I thought Kotal was cool? Why would he …?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “Maybe he was lying? Maybe this isn’t him? Maybe … maybe it’s … _God dammit_!”

She slammed her phone on the counter in frustration. After dragging her hands through her hair, she dug through her duffel bag for weapons. Though outwardly she kept her cool as best as she could, Johnny saw she was rattled. He didn’t blame her.

“Listen,” she said. “Daniel’s on his way. Hopefully he can get in touch with Jax if he hasn’t already. I’m going to try to—”

“Hold up,” he cut in, waving his hand. “One of Raiden’s special chosen ones standing here, too. I’m going with you.”

“Someone needs to stay with Cassie.”

Their daughter waited in the living room, her seven year old eyes wide and petrified. Just seeing her like that made Johnny’s heart wrench. Since the day she was born, he prayed she would never have to witness the horrors he knew existed beyond Earthrealm.

“I agree,” he said. “Which is why I think we should all go.”

“Johnny …”

“Sonya, look out the damn window! This is all-hands-on-deck! We need to get in touch with Liu! Sub-Zero’s crew! We need freaking Raiden!”

“But Cassie—”

“Is coming with us! We get her someplace safe, then we need to—”

Someone knocked at the front door. Shaking her head, Sonya rushed to answer only to find her twin brother already opened it. He stared at her a moment, his eyes glazed and confused. She slowed to a stop and almost asked what was wrong, when she saw the blood pouring from the open cut across his throat.

“Daniel …?”

He managed only a strangled gurgle before he collapsed face-down on the floor. Cassie screamed.

“ _Daniel_!” Sonya shrieked, rushing to her brother.

Johnny’s eyes fixed on the burly figure standing in the doorway with a smug grin on his face and bloody knife in his hand. He leaned against the frame, his metallic eye glaring with hate in contrast to his otherwise cavalier expression.

“‘ello, baby,” Kano said. “Yeh miss me?”

Time almost seemed to freeze—for Johnny at least. The sudden invasion was one thing, but Kano … alive and at his front door … Sonya’s brother dead … it was too surreal. It felt like a nightmare.

Just as abruptly, time unfroze and too much happened at once. Sonya lunged at Kano, curses and threats on her lips, but she was stopped in her tracks when he plowed into her with his Cannonball Roll.

Cassie was screaming. Johnny hesitated, torn between helping Sonya or defending their daughter. Without thinking, he shouted for Cassie to hide in her room. As she fled to the stairs, Kano grabbed a handful of Sonya’s hair and yanked her up.

Johnny charged, intent on leveling the son of a bitch with his Shadow Kick. But the front wall of the house tore away, spraying glass and wood everywhere. The force of whatever hit knocked him off his feet and slammed him into the opposite wall.

Coughing on dust, his head spinning, he regained his bearings with the sound of a horse clopping in his ears. When his vision cleared, he looked up to find standing over him a massive Centaurian beast.

“Remember me, little man?” Motaro growled, brandishing a spear. “We have unfinished business.”

* * *

They came from the darkness. Snarling beasts with razor teeth and blades growing from their arms. The attack was sudden and swift, and like a wildfire, they were spread throughout the Shaolin Temple—killing and burning as they went.

Liu Kang had been meditating when the quiet of night was shattered by the sound of bells and battle. Once it was clear his home and brothers were under attack, he set out fighting off the invaders as they appeared, but it quickly became evident there was little he could do alone.

With Raiden nowhere to be found, he fought his way to the Great Kung Lao’s chamber. Even if he was the current Champion of Mortal Kombat, Lao would have a better chance of organizing their fellow monks and combating the creatures. Hopefully, the Thunder God would soon arrive and explain what was happening.

“Master Kung Lao!” he shouted upon reaching the room. “Are you here?”

He was. The former Champion lay face-down on the floor by his bed in an expanding puddle of blood. Liu rushed to his mentor and found he’d been stabbed in the heart. His face frozen in a look of surprise and confusion—whoever killed him had caught him by surprise.

Anger and despair took hold of Liu Kang. The former Champion of Mortal Kombat … undefeated for over five hundred years … a man he’d looked up to and admired his whole life … murdered in his sleep. An unworthy death for any man, let alone one such as the Great Kung Lao.

The beasts would pay, he thought. They would pay for what they did to Kung Lao, his home, and his Shaolin brothers. He turned to rejoin the battle …

The knife slid just below his ribs, near his abdomen. His body froze, unable to even register the shadowy figure before him. He stumbled back against the wall, clutching his wound, and tried to understand how he could be so easily sneaked up on.

“Have you thought much of me, brother?” the figure said from the shadows.

“Chow?”

“All these years,” he said. “Did you think it was Shang Tsung who killed me?”

“What are you talking about? You’ve been … we were …”

He trailed off, a distant memory coming to him. Chow, his brother … hadn’t he been missing since they were young? He disappeared not long before Liu entered the tournament. But that was only a dream, wasn’t it?

“I had a destiny of my own, Liu. While you went to face the sorcerer, I began my own quest.”

“Chow … did you kill Kung Lao?”

“I can’t kill a dream,” he said. “The Great Kung Lao died centuries ago. I don’t know what that thing was.”

Liu’s blood chilled. None of it made sense. Where did these monsters come from and how did he know they were called Tarakans? Why were his thoughts becoming flooded with memories of pain and death … the slaughter of his temple … his own murder … a battle on the Sea of Blood …?

For some reason, it was Kitana’s words that came to him then. Was this the horror she feared? Was the world unraveling?

“Chow … I don’t understand …”

“I’ve seen things, brother. You think Shang Tsung and Shao Kahn are the worst there is?” Chow stepped forward, out of the shadows. His mouth was curved in a vacant, placid smile, but his eyes were a scarred ruin, as if he’d clawed them out. “I’ve seen such sights, Liu. You have no idea what dwells in the darkness between the realms. They’re always hungry …”

His smile turned to a demented grin as he approached his brother with a dagger in his hand.

* * *

Shang Tsung retook his fighting stance, planting his right foot on the ground.

The Dragon King thrust at him with a massive, scaled fist. Keeping his foot on the floor, he maneuvered out of the way and slipped behind him. Onaga roared and swung at him, but he dodged the attack and ducked around him. He then spun beneath Onaga as he swung his tail at him—all the while keeping his right foot pressed onto the ground.

This went on for some time. The Dragon King threw punches and stomps, swiped with his tail and wings, and tried to snatch him, but Tsung dodged and evaded. He moved like the flowing of water, staying just out of Onaga’s reach and constantly circling around and by him. He never once countered or even touched his enemy. And not once did his right foot leave the floor.

“YOU CAN’T KEEP THIS UP FOREVER, SNAKE!” Onaga snarled. “IF YOU THINK YOU WILL TIRE ME, YOU ARE SADLY MISTAKEN!”

He slammed his fist down, hoping to smash Tsung into the ground. But the sorcerer back-flipped away and came to a stop with a confident smirk on his face. “No, Onaga,” he said. “I didn’t think you would tire.”

“THEN DO YOU MEAN TO DANCE FOREV—”

He tried to step forward, but was stopped by an invisible wall. When he looked down, he saw marked on the ground around him was a circle with a strange rune in the center. As the design began to glow, he looked at the sorcerer and realized what he’d been doing with his foot the whole time.

“It’s a binding spell,” Tsung said, clasping his hands together. “I always expected I would have to use this on Shao Kahn, but you’ll do just as well.”

“YOU THINK YOU CAN HOLD ME WITH THIS PARLOR TRICK?”

“By binding,” he said. “I don’t mean it will hold you _here_.”

The ground within the circle lit up with bright light, as if a portal opened beneath Onaga’s feet. Before he even realized what was happening, glowing chains hurled up and locked onto his wrists and ankles. Tsung pressed his palms together and chanted as the chains snapped taut and began pulling the Dragon King into the light.

“NO! YOU CANNOT DO THIS TO ME!”

Another chain appeared and wrapped around his neck. He roared and resisted, but to no avail as the mystical shackles continued pulling him deeper and deeper.

“I bind you, Dragon King, to the Netherealm where you belong. No coming back this time. No resurrections. No Kamidogu to save you.”

Onaga was down to his chest. His face was etched in outrage and fury as he sank deeper—engulfed in the terrible light.

* * *

Screams echoed throughout the halls. The cyborgs appeared from seemingly nowhere and had the temple surrounded without warning. The machines attacked relentlessly, without fear or tiring, and gradually, the Liu Kuei fell to their limitless hordes.

Sub-Zero carried Smoke through the main hall, desperately trying to find him safety. The Grandmaster and his friend fought the coming attackers alongside their comrades, but the numbers were too great. The cyborgs were spreading through the temple and would soon overrun them.

Making matters worse, something seemed to be ailing Smoke. “I don’t understand, Kuai Liang,” he said, his voice strained. “The enenra within me … something’s wrong …”

“Just hang in there,” Sub-Zero replied. “I’m taking you to my chamber. You can gather yourself there, while I—”

An explosion rocked the main hall—a fired missile or dropped bomb or perhaps both. Sub-Zero collapsed as debris crashed around them and smoke filled the air. He looked around in horror as his clan … his students … were cut down and butchered all around him. Broken and burnt bodies littered the floor. Surviving fighters retreated, some missing limbs.

More cyborgs appeared from the storm outside. They moved in unison, their robotic eyes glowing in the night like unholy entities. Soulless, interchangeable, and merciless, they marched forth like a plague to smother all life and eradicate the Lin Kuei from existence.

How could it come to this, he wondered? How could everything he worked for be torn down so suddenly? Where did these things come from? On the cyborgs’ chests was a symbol he recognized to signify the Tekunin clan … but how did he know what the Tekunin was? Was it a dream or memory of a past life?

_Like Sareena?_

He shook off his disorientation and helped Smoke to his feet. Whatever the meaning of this, he couldn’t afford to be overwhelmed. He needed to regroup his people. He needed to find Bi-Han. He needed to find Frost. He needed—

Smoke screamed as what appeared to be a grappling hook latched onto his shoulder. The chain attached snapped tight, and he was torn from his grasp. Smoke turned around and pulled on the chain to resist, but something continued dragging him across the floor.

In the darkness ahead, glowing eyes flashed and a figure came forward. It was humanoid in shape, wearing black and red leather, but seemed to be made of swirling gray mist. Its face was a demonic cyborg mask with red eyes and black markings. It was difficult to tell whether the creature was a machine or enenra in physical form.

“No,” Smoke said upon seeing it. “ _No_! Not you!”

The creature said nothing. Could it even speak? Looking upon it, awful memories came to Sub-Zero—memories he’d thought were just a bad dream. He remembered Smoke getting turned into a cyborg against his will … and only getting worse from there.

“Not again!” Smoke bellowed, getting to his feet. “I will not be you again!”

He charged at the mist-creature and began fighting it. Though still reeling from the chaos that had consumed his home, Sub-Zero knew he needed to assist his friend against this phantom from another timeline. He pressed his palms together and charged an Ice Blast to shoot.

But before he could, his body was consumed in ice. Frozen in place, he couldn’t defend himself when something leveled him with an uppercut that slammed him against the nearest wall.

Regaining his bearings, he saw with horror what had hit. Frost stood over him, her body now a sleek engine of metal and plastic. Her eyes glowed blue—not with the familiar ice power of their ancestors, but cybernetics.

“You always held me back, Sifu,” she hissed. “Now, at last, I can reach my true potential.”

* * *

Sindel’s hair snapped around Kitana’s wrist and jerked it up, exposing her midsection to an uppercut. She grunted in pain as her breath was torn from her before getting thrown down the corridor and landing hard on her hip.

Her ribs weren’t broken, but the strength of the blow was enough to give her pause. Clutching her side, she got to her feet and stared at her mother. A memory of their previous fight flashed across her mind, and with it came a feeling like someone dumped ice water down her back.

Sindel disregarded her daughter and looked down on Jerrod’s body. “I recognize the Seidan influence on his armor,” she said. “To be honest, I didn’t think he had it in him—throwing his lot in with those fanatics. More backbone that I would’ve expected.”

Kitana’s heart pounded. Her hands shook and eye twitched. She gritted her teeth, and her breathing sped up. A volatile mix of emotions clashed inside her like a raging storm. She tried to focus on her anger—her drive to cut her mother’s black heart out—but it was caught in a swirl of fear, panic, despair, and confusion.

_I_ … she thought. _I can’t lose to her again. Come on, Kitana_ … _you defeated Shao Kahn!_

As if sensing her thoughts, Sindel turned to her and offered a vile smirk. “Shall this be the third time I humble you, dear? Fourth if you count your revenant. Her second death in Kronika’s Keep was as pathetic as her first.”

Kitana lunged at her. Despite her inner turmoil, she tried to be precise and methodical. Swift with her strikes and careful not to leave herself open to counterattack. But she could not land a single blow on her mother. Sindel blocked every attack and kept pace, her dark eyes taunting—letting her know she could go on offense and turn the tide any time she pleased.

As their battle wore on, memory of her failure on the Sea of Blood gnawed at her. A sinking sense of inevitability came. A feeling she’d already lost. That anything she achieved would only be taken from her.

Sindel caught one of her punches and struck with a smack to the back of her head. She hesitated a moment, then attacked with a rising knee. Her mother evaded and delivered a jab to her kidney. Getting desperate, she swung a roundhouse kick, but Sindel ducked and drove both her fists into her sternum, knocking the air from her, and punctuated with a backflip that kicked her in the jaw.

Kitana stumbled against the wall and crumbled to the floor. Fear came to her. Despite her thousands of years fighting … despite overcoming countless foes far stronger than her … despite defeating Shao Kahn himself …

… _I can’t beat her_ …

Sindel saw it. “Aw,” she said. “Have I broken your spirit already? You put up more of a fight last time.”

Her knees felt weak, and her stomach churned. Nevertheless, she stood her ground and took a fighting stance. “I …” she said. “I won’t give up …”

“Your eyes say different. It’s a sad truth of life, daughter. Sometimes … no matter how good you are, no matter how hard you try, no matter how much you deserve it … there are some fights you just can’t win.” She grinned, and her white hair seemed to come alive. “Allow me to demonstrate.”

The assault was as brutal as it was swift. Like the snap of a whip, Sindel’s hair snatched her wrists and neck and pulled her close. The hair tightened around her throat, choking the life from her, and left her defenseless as her mother rained blows onto her face and body.

Worse than the beating was the sense of helpless that came to Kitana. Yet again, she found herself at the mercy of her cruel mother. And this time, she didn’t even have the hope someone could save her. Liu was gone. Her father was dead. She was alone in this damned pyramid, left to suffer at her mother’s hands.

Sindel grabbed a handful of her hair and held her head up. She smiled at her daughter before unleashing an ear-piercing shriek. Kitana tried to scream, but she was drowned out by the horrific shrill.

Her head spinning and ears ringing, she was helpless as her mother’s hair coiled around her body, binding her hands behind her back. She was then slammed into the walls. Her vision blurred, and blood dripped down her face as her body crashed from one side of the corridor to the other.

Keeping her bound in her hair, Sindel let her sink to her knees. Kitana could barely lift her head, much less stay conscious. It was over. She’d failed.

Again.

“You’d think I’d be tired of this by now,” Sindel said, holding her head up by her chin. “But I don’t know what it is, dear Kitana. You simply have this sad, lost look in your eyes that just _invites_ abuse.”

Kitana looked at her mother and tried to find some semblance of the woman she’d met in Edenia just a few days ago. But she saw no warmth or love. That had been only a dream. Even the other Sindel—the ghostly one with sad eyes—was the memory of a world that no longer existed.

“… why?”

“What’s that?” Sindel asked. “Speak up, dear.”

“Why?” she repeated. “Why do you hate me so much?”

The sadistic glee in her mother faded. In its place came a look of disappointment. “I don’t hate you, daughter,” she said. “I’ll admit I only had you to keep your father happy. But there was a time I hoped to mold you in my image. If not for Quan Chi, I might have played my rightful part in your upbringing.

“Believe it or not,” she continued. “There was a brief moment I thought perhaps you were what I hoped. When I was first revived and your real father told me of how you served him, I dared feel pride in you. I don’t hate you, Kitana. I hate what you pretend to be.”

“Shao Kahn is not my father. That’s not who I am.”

“Wake up!” she snapped, slapping her. “You tell yourself Shao Kahn was the one thing wrong in your life. You act as if, if not for him—only him—you would’ve enjoyed some idyllic fairy tale life. What do you know of Edenia? Where were _the people_ when you needed them on the Sea of Blood? Look at me, daughter. Look at what I am. My blood flows in your veins, does it not? Look at Jerrod. Left to his own devices, he aligned with the Orderrealm! Your sister? What is she if not the real you unleashed? And as much as you deny it, Shao Kahn is more your father than Jerrod ever was.”

She clutched Kitana’s face, holding her so tight her nails dug into her cheeks.

“You cling to a dream that was never true. Maybe it’s just _you_ living in denial, daughter?”

* * *

Mileena’s head slammed into one of the empty tubes where Shang Tsung grew his creations. The glass cracked, and she felt a stream of blood drip down the side of her face. She had barely a moment to register the pain or shake off the dizziness before her opponent slit her up the back with her blade.

Her wound stinging, she turned to face the clone who stood twirling her weapons with an evil smirk. Anger burned within her to see that face—Kitana’s face—look down on her with such arrogance and malice.

“Are you not having fun?” the clone hissed. “Did our sister never give you this attention?”

“I am going to kill you!”

“Will you now?” the clone said with a dismissive chuckle. “You can’t even beat Kitana.”

She charged with a roar. Her sai met the clone’s blades with a metallic clang, and they pushed against each other for dominance. Mileena hoped the Tarkatan in her would give her the edge in strength, but the clone easily resisted.

Without warning, the clone grinned and sank her teeth into her shoulder. Mileena screamed as her fangs dug into her flesh and tried to push away, but the clone held her close. When she finally released, she struck Mileena in the heart with a stiff jab that knocked the wind from her.

Clutching her chest and gasping for breath, Mileena backed away as the clone licked her lips and laughed. “I’ve as much Tarkatan in me as you, little sister. But I have the better balance.”

Shao Kahn, who’d been watching in silence the entire time, chuckled and said, “Outstanding!”

Doubt came to Mileena then, realizing what she was dealing with. “N-no,” she said. “You … you won’t take my place!”

“You’re an obsolete prototype,” the clone said. “I am perfection.”

She looked to her father, hoping he would say or do something. He always pitted her against Kitana. She knew he would never fully accept her unless she proved she was better than her sister. But this was different. He wouldn’t stand aside and let this pretender kill her, would he? She’d done too much for him to be cast aside like that, hadn’t she?

“Father,” she said. “I … I carried on your rule after you perished. I did it for you …”

“And you failed,” the clone said. “I would’ve succeeded, for I am what you should’ve been. I would’ve held the Empire together.”

“ _You go to hell_!”

She charged again, but her efforts were in vain. The clone easily evaded her attacks and exploited the injuries she suffered from her previous battle. She struck with quick, precise jabs and slashes that wore Mileena down and left her riddled with bleeding cuts all over her body.

She stumbled, and the sai fell from her hands. The clone bowled her over with a knee to the gut and followed with an elbow to the back of her head that sent her crumbling to the floor. Without giving her time to catch her breath, the clone dragged her to her feet by her hair and delivered a pair of punches to the face.

Dazed and dizzy, Mileena didn’t resist as the clone tore her mask off. “Look at you!” the clone said. “To think this defective freak thought she could be the daughter of Shao Kahn!”

In desperation, she tried to bite the clone’s throat as she had the previous one. But her opponent saw it coming and blocked with her blade. Her teeth clamped onto the metal, and she felt the razor edge at the end of her mouth. She hesitated, knowing if the clone wished, she could cut her head off at the jaw.

“Predictable, little sister,” the clone said. “No wonder you could never match Kitana.”

A head-butt left Mileena out on her feet and unable to defend herself as the clone picked her shots. Haymakers and kicks to the face, jabs to the throat and sternum, and finally a jumping kick that left her flat on her back.

“Well done!” said their father.

The clone bowed with a proud smile. She then straddled her, pinning her arms down with her knees, and started pounding her with lefts and rights. Mileena struggled beneath her enemy’s weight, but it was no use. Her vision blurred and teeth cracked as the clone rained blow after blow onto her face.

The clone stopped to catch her breath, her eyes alive with excitement and cruelty—a nightmarish vision she had never seen on the real Kitana. Giggling, she then gripped Mileena’s neck and squeezed. “I’m sure you already know how sweet Edenian blood is,” she hissed. “But have you ever noticed how sour Tarkatan blood is?” She leaned close and licked Mileena’s face with a look of ecstasy in her eyes. “… _delicious_ …”

“I’ve seen enough,” Kahn said. “You’ve proven yourself admirably, daughter. Finish her.”

“May I keep her, father?” the clone said. “I would like a pet.”

“If you wish,” he said. “But be quick. I must find your mother. I know she’s here somewhere. Then we will return to Outworld and reclaim what is ours.”

He left the Flesh Pit, even as Mileena tried in vain to call out to him. Never in her life had she felt so helpless. She faced Kotal Kahn’s judgment and D’Vorah’s execution with defiance. In another time, she had been killed by her sister and died snarling. But now, for perhaps the first time, she knew true fear.

She was alone. As before, with Kotal and D’Vorah, she had no allies. No friends. Not even her father to defend her now, even after all she’d done for him. All she had was the mercy of this demented mirror of herself and Kitana.

“You and I are going to be close, little sister,” the clone said, holding her blade to Mileena’s face. “Closer than you ever were with Kitana. I’ll see to it you know your place.” She smiled, but then tapped the blade against Mileena’s teeth. “Oh, but this won’t due. No, not at all. If you wear a mask, you might be mistaken for me, and I can’t have that. People need to know what you are, even if you hide your deformity.”

She grinned as she pressed the blade’s point against Mileena’s flesh.

“I’ll just carve ‘dog’ into your forehead. That way everyone will know.”

* * *

Sweat poured down Shang Tsung’s brow. Onaga struggled against the mystical bonds that pulled him deeper and deeper into the pit, and it took everything in Tsung’s power to keep him contained. If he could hold just a bit longer, the Dragon King would be damned to the Netherealm for good.

Onaga’s eyes burned with hate and rage. Smoke spewed from his mouth as he howled and snarled. Veins bulged in his muscles, but he continued to sink. He cursed and spat at the sorcerer in a strange, unknown language. He’d been dragged down to his chest, and the chains tightened around his neck.

The Dragon King lurched up. Tsung chanted his incantations louder and had his hands clamped together so tight, his wrists began to ache. Blood dripped from his nose due to the strain. He was so close … victory was in reach …

“ _ENOUGH_!!!”

With a thunderous bellow, Onaga sprang out. The chains binding him shattered, and the circle containing him burst in a flash of light. Tsung was thrown backward by the force, his ears ringing, and tumbled across the ground in a daze.

Though free, the struggle took its toll on Onaga. He collapsed to one knee, gasping for breath, and glared at the sorcerer. His eyes bulged, and drool leaked from his grinding teeth. However weakened he might have been, his fury was stronger than ever.

“YOU …” he snarled. “YOU DARE …?! YOU _DARE_ … INSULT ME?!”

Tsung wiped the blood from his nose and regained his bearings. If their duel with the binding circle weakened the Dragon King, it drained him. He needed to think fast, because that had been his trump card.

“I WILL _END_ YOU!” Onaga said, stomping toward. “I WILL TEAR YOU LIMB FROM—”

In flash, the shape-shifter changed forms to the four-armed beast Kintaro. He met Onaga with a thunderous punch to the face that staggered the Dragon King. It was dangerous for Tsung to change into forms radically different than his own, as they required more energy and focus than others, but at the moment, he needed a Shokan’s strength.

He pressed his assault, raining blows as hard as he could. Onaga grunted and stumbled backward and nearly fell to his back. If he could hold the form long enough, Tsung hoped to overpower him and perhaps break his neck or cripple him.

But the Dragon King answered with a crushing head-butt that put an abrupt stop to his efforts. A pair of haymakers left him out on his feet and open to an uppercut that sent him crashing to the ground on his back.

Tsung reverted to his normal form, writhing on the ground. Onaga stood over him, rubbing his jaw and breathing heavy, and picked him up by the neck.

“PITY YOUR ILL-CONCEIVED ATTEMPT AT HEROISM SHOULD COME UP SHORT, SORCERER. BUT THEN THAT’S BEEN THE STORY OF YOUR EXISTENCE, HASN’T IT, SHANG TSUNG?”

As the Dragon King’s grip tightened on his neck, Tsung shot green flames into his chest in a last-ditch hope of draining his soul. Onaga winced slightly, but was unafraid. He took old of his wrist and forced his hand away—the green fire fading to nothing.

“AS A FORCE OF EVIL,” he continued. “YOU WERE _SECOND_ TO SHAO KAHN. AS A SORCERER, _SECOND_ TO QUAN CHI. AS A WARRIOR, _SECOND_ TO LIU KANG AND THE GREAT KUNG LAO BEFORE HIM. AND NOW … AS A WOULD-BE DEFENDER OF REALMS … YOU ARE ONCE AGAIN WOEFULLY INADEQUATE.”

Tsung struggled, but his vision blurred as the Dragon King’s thick hand strangled the life from him. He frantically tried to think of something—some last trick or maneuver. Anything from his arsenal to combat this, but nothing would come. He would meet his end with only Onaga’s insults to take with him.

As everything went dark, he saw something moving. He blinked and cleared his vision enough to see her climbing onto the altar holding Shinnok’s Amulet. Onaga noticed he was looking at something and turned.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”

Sareena stood before the Amulet. Her face was resolved and fearless. Her eyes met the Dragon King’s, and she didn’t need to say anything.

“YOU FOOL!” he bellowed. “DON’T TOUCH THAT!”

She grasped the Amulet, and the Kamidogu came alive with a roar and blinding light.

**End of Chapter XVIII**


	19. Hero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There may be hope yet...

Scorpion groaned as Harumi’s claws sank deeper into his chest. The blades dug beneath his sternum and reached for his heart. She moved slowly, ensuring he felt every agonizing moment, and never stopped looking him in the eye. Coldness told hold—the rage and fire that had driven him for so long faded, and he found no strength to resist.

“Is this it?” she hissed. “Is this the end of the proud Scorpion? After all this time, the vengeful spectre meets his end with a whimper?”

He looked upon her, his vision blurred and dark, leaving only her face in an empty void. Despite her ghastly complexion, dead eyes, and smeared make-up, she was still his beloved wife. And as much as he hated letting Quan Chi win, he wondered if she wasn’t justified in her wrath?

“I won’t fight you, Kana,” he said. “I could never hurt you.”

“Is that so?” she replied. “Even now … after I turn on you at Quan Chi’s behest? You won’t dare raise a hand to me?”

He closed his eyes and sighed, pushing away the pain and anger. “I’m a selfish man, Harumi. I brought you into my life when you deserved better. I endangered you by joining the Shirai Ryu. I failed to protect you and our son, and I’m lost without you.” He looked her in the eye. “The only thing that’s kept me going is vengeance. But it’s yours, and it always should’ve been. Take it.”

Her face softened. She removed the claws from his chest and caressed his face. “Hanzo,” she whispered. “How did it come to this?”

A hush fell over the chamber. The torches dimmed slightly, and the hieroglyphics lining the walls began to glow. As before, a pulse of light flowed through the pyramid corridors, only this time in a bright shade of blue rather than red. The sound that echoed through the halls was less a roar and more a musical cry.

When the light passed, Quan Chi looked around suspiciously. He waited, as if expecting something, then sneered and said to Harumi, “Enough. Finish him.”

She looked at Scorpion, and then stared at her claws. Her face, once fixed in bitter anger, softened to mournful sadness. Regret and longing filled her eyes as she removed the dying rose from her hair and placed it on his chest.

“We never had a chance, did we, Hanzo?” she said. “Why do you keep trying?”

“It’s my nature.”

What she planned to do next, he would never know. As if a bolt of lightning cracked, the chamber became engulfed in a blinding white glow. It was so intense Quan Chi shielded his eyes and backed away, as if it hurt to be in its presence. Harumi also covered her eyes and backed against the wall.

Scorpion turned over as the light faded, and he began to see the figure that appeared. He was tall and strongly built with long black hair tied in a tail. He wore a uniform similar to Scorpion’s, though gold and white rather than yellow and black, giving the ninja an ethereal appearance.

“Come, Mother,” the ninja said. “I will bring you peace.”

Harumi and Scorpion stared at him in awestruck silence. It couldn’t be. It wasn’t possible. Even if it was him, how could he be there now?

“… Satoshi?”

Their son stepped forward, his face solemn and focused. His gaze softened slightly upon seeing his parents, and he offered the slightest nod. “Mother,” he repeated. “Come with me. Let me help you.”

“It’s our son, Hanzo,” she said, approaching him. “Our boy … our son lives …”

The light surrounding Satoshi grew brighter as she went to him. He held his hand out and took hers. He gave her a light smile before turning to his father, who struggled to get to his feet.

“Wait,” Scorpion said, reaching out to them. “Jubei … let me go with you … please …”

“Your work isn’t finished, Father. We will meet again. But not yet.”

The light brightened to a blinding white, but Scorpion wouldn’t look away. Despite his wounds, he got to his feet and dove at them. But the light disappeared, taking Satoshi and Harumi with it, leaving him grasping at nothing but empty air.

_Not yet_ , his son’s voice echoed one final time.

On his hands and knees, Scorpion let out an agonized howl. They had been right there, within his grasp. Somehow, some way, his son had been revived and become the man he always hoped he would be. He wanted to be with them but was denied again. How much longer must his family be just out of reach?

Catching his breath and recovering his strength, he stood once again and remembered why he was there. The realms were in danger. Onaga needed to be stopped. He turned and found Quan Chi staring at him with a look of disgust and dawning fear.

_My work isn’t finished_ …

* * *

“Do not fret, my child. You will not die here either.”

Sindel’s hair tightened, making Kitana wince in pain. Even if she had any remaining willpower, she wouldn’t break free. A wretched sense of déjà vu came upon her. She was back on the Sea of Blood. Again, at the mercy of her cruel parent—broken, defeated, and without hope.

“You will be imprisoned,” Sindel said. “As I intended until Shang Tsung ruined everything. You will live with the anguish and humiliation of your failures. And from there … we’ll see. Perhaps I may one day tire of your suffering and grant you death. Or maybe … just maybe … you’ll come to your senses and accept your true family.”

Kitana looked at her mother—this woman she once believed to be a good and noble person. A woman she had vowed to avenge and honor without even knowing her. A woman she embraced and welcomed into her heart even if it was Shang Tsung’s sorcery that made it possible.

A woman who was now gleefully reveling in her pain and misery.

She spit in her face.

Sindel hesitated and blinked, dumbstruck. As it sank in, she wiped the spittle away, and her face contorted into a hideous grin. Although she tried to make like Kitana’s defiance amused her, the rage it sparked was transparent.

“I see,” she growled, her voice shaking. “Still some fight in you. Good. That’s good. I’ll just have to beat some—”

The corridor shook, and the runes engraved on the walls came alive with light. They grew brighter and brighter until a flash of blue light coursed through the hall with a strange howl. When it passed, a hush came over the pyramid with a slight draft.

Though stalled, the pulse didn’t abate Sindel’s anger. She shook her head and returned her attention to her daughter. “As I was saying,” she said, gripping Kitana’s neck. “I’ll have to smother that last bit of fire in you once and for—”

Something snapped onto Sindel’s wrist like a whip. Neither she, nor Kitana had a chance to see what it was before she was hurled away from her daughter and slammed into the opposite wall. Kitana collapsed to the floor, released from her mother’s hair. She looked down the hall, and her eyes widened upon seeing the woman appear from the darkness.

It was another Sindel. She wore similar purple and black garb, but this Sindel’s eyes were blank white and marked with dark make-up. A black streak went down the center of her hair, and her skin was pale as porcelain.

She stood before her counterpart and declared: “ _Don’t touch my daughter_!”

She let rip a banshee-like shriek that sent the evil Sindel crashing through the stone wall. Kitana could only watch in disbelief. It didn’t make sense. How could there be two of them now? Was this one … could she be …?

As the dust settled and silence returned to the corridor, Sindel turned her attention to the fallen Jerrod. She knelt beside him, and a pained look came to her. “My love,” she whispered, caressing his hair. “What have they done to you?”

She turned to her daughter, looking apologetic. “Kitana,” she said. “Kitana, I—”

“No-no-no,” she said, backing away. She didn’t dare hope this was true or good. She’d been through too much to allow herself to believe this woman—this Sindel—was the mother she knew. “I can’t … I can’t keep doing this …”

“Kitana, listen. Please, look at me. Look at me.”

She flinched and pressed her back against the wall. Her mother took her face in her hands, refusing to be pushed away. Her touch was gentle and her voice soothing. Despite her ghostly appearance, there was warmth and love in her white eyes. Kitana froze, not sure what to expect or believe.

“Shao Kahn,” Sindel said. “Remember? He used me to invade Earthrealm. He twisted my mind to make me his loyal bride.” She wiped tears from Kitana’s cheeks and smiled. “And you saved me.”

Her heart pounded as she looked at this Sindel, and faint memories she’d thought were dreams came to her. Memories of Outworld’s invasion, a siege on Kahn’s fortress … and her mother …

“You never gave up me. You saved me, and then we freed Edenia together.”

A part of her still doubted. She remembered the sweet words and kind embrace she found in the Soul Chamber after Shang Tsung revived her mother with Fujin. She had doubts then but chose to believe, only for it to end in heartbreak.

But more memories returned. Memories of restoring Edenian by her mother’s side. Of Sindel reclaiming her throne and vowing to never abandon her daughter again.

“… Mother? Is it … is it really …?”

They embraced, and in an instant, Kitana knew it was so. After everything that had happened … through rewritten timelines and altered realities … through the disaster caused by Raiden’s interference … despite the hateful Sindel born of Kronika’s meddling … at last, Kitana was reunited with her true mother once again.

“I don’t understand,” she said. “How … how are you …?”

“I wish I knew,” Sindel said. “The last thing I remember was Armageddon. Everything after that … it feels like a nightmare.”

From the darkness, a high-pitched scream wailed. Sindel looked to the hole left behind from her counterpart. Kitana knew, as did she, the evil Sindel wasn’t finished.

“Kitana, you need to go. I’ll deal with this.”

She hesitated and quickly grabbed her mother when she began walking away. “No!” she said. “No, I won’t leave you!”

“This is my fight. You’re needed elsewhere.”

“ _No_! Mother, please! I just got you back … I just … first Father and …” Her emotions overwhelmed her. She clung to her mother as tears poured from her eyes. “Please. I can’t do this anymore. I’m not strong enough.”

Sindel’s face was sympathetic, and her eyes loving. She caressed Kitana’s hair and stood her up straight. “Listen to me: whatever happens … whatever’s left when this is over … always remember there was a time … there was a world where you had a mother. And she loved you more than anything.” She wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled. “And you’re stronger than she ever was.”

“How sweet,” the other Sindel said with disgust in her voice and on her face. “So what is this trickery? Are you the mother dear Kitana wished she had? The weakling that killed herself?”

The two Sindels faced each other, not unlike one of Shang Tsung’s Mirror Matches. Kitana’s mother blocked her way and said, “Go. This fight is mine.”

Still too drained from all that had happened, she could only moan, “Mother … I can’t go on alone.”

Sindel—the true Sindel—looked back at her and smiled. “You’re not.”

Suddenly, the pyramid rumbled, and the walls shifted. A passageway slid closed between them, leaving the two Sindels alone. Kitana pounded on the wall and screamed for her mother, desperately hoping it could open again, but the stone was locked in place.

She pressed her forehead against it and wept, wanting nothing more than to lie down on the floor and let it all end. Her heart ached and head throbbed from so much pain and tears. It was a cruel ordeal to have been returned her parents just for them to be taken away from her.

But she held onto her mother’s words and controlled her breathing. Despite everything that happened, she held onto a single truth: regardless of timeline or reality, she did have a mother and father who loved her. No one could ever take that from her.

And she wasn’t alone. Her sister needed her.

* * *

Johnny Cage tried to stand—more on instinct than conscious effort, as his head was still spinning. He barely made it to his knees before Motaro’s hoof kicked him in the jaw and sent him sprawling back on the floor.

“Shao Kahn made me his General for a reason,” Motaro said. “I leave no survivors. And you better believe that includes a ridiculous Earthrealm clown like you.” He held the tip of his spear against Johnny’s chest and smirked. “No Thunder God to save you this time, little man …”

He raised the spear to strike. Johnny cringed, anticipating its blade to tear through his chest. As he prepared for death, a strange thought came to him that didn’t make sense to him then. In one life, he was a joke who died unceremoniously at the hands of a Centaur. In another, he saved the Earth from an Elder God.

_Guess I’m a joke again_ …

Before the blade fell, the side of Motaro’s head burst and sprayed brains and blood into the air. He was surely dead instantly, but another five shots fired—peppering his head and chest with bullets that left the Centaur to crumble to the floor in a heap.

Johnny turned to the source of the gunfire and found a strange thing: a blonde woman in her early twenties. At a glance, he might’ve thought it was Sonya, but her face was less harsh and her eyes warmer.

“Cassie?”

“Dad!”

She rushed to him and helped him to his feet. After making sure he was okay, she wrapped her arms around him in a crushing hug. For a moment he thought he was concussed. Wasn’t his daughter seven years old?

“Cassie,” he said. “You’re … grown?”

“I don’t know what the hell’s going on!”

He didn’t either. But it didn’t matter for the moment. He turned to find Kano strangling Sonya in the other room, and all doubt and confusion disappeared. He escaped Cassie’s grip and didn’t even bother offering a snappy one-liner as he leveled Kano with a Shadow Kick that sent the thug crashing into the nearest wall.

Kano grunted and sank to the floor. As he unloaded blow after blow onto the bastard’s face … thinking about what he did to Daniel … what he was doing to Sonya … what he might’ve done to Cassie … Johnny could have easily killed him right there. He definitely wanted to.

But he also knew if anyone deserved that, it should be Sonya. When he stopped himself, his knuckles were bloody and sore, but Kano’s face was a mangled ruin. His red cybernetic eye was cracked, and even the metal surrounding it was dented. But he still lived, his breathing coming in a shallow wheeze through his broken nose.

Johnny and Cassie helped Sonya to her feet. She coughed and was bruised, but seemed otherwise unharmed. With no other attackers appearing to threaten them, he took the chance to embrace the two of them. He still didn’t understand what had happened or why, but he was grateful to have his family still with him.

“I’m sorry,” said Cassie. “But can someone please explain what planet I’m on?”

* * *

“Frost … what have you done to yourself?”

Beneath her mask, she smiled and stretched her back and arms, basking in her cyborg body. “I’ve done what you never allowed,” she said. “Become what you resisted.”

Sub-Zero got to his feet. He tried to regain his bearings, but so much had happened all at once. The sudden Tekunin attack, Smoke and his alternate entity, and now Frost … though he tried to maintain his composure, the chaos was overwhelming. It was as if someone turned a switch and flipped the world upside down.

“I only wanted what was best for you,” he said. “This … this is not the answer.”

“What do you know?” she said, chuckling. “Look around you! The Tekunin is my clan, and we’ve decimated the Lin Kuei! I’ve outgrown you!”

Without warning, she plowed into him with a running knee to his chest. The blow left him flat on his back and knocked the wind from him. Before he could recover, she followed with a kick to his head that made his vision flicker and blur.

Before he had a chance to recover his senses, a pair of cyborgs picked him up and held his arms behind his back. He tried to resist but was too weakened and caught off guard. They forced him to his knees in front of Frost who adjusted her wrist gauntlets with an eager grin.

“I’ve so waited for this,” she said as a razor-sharp blade of ice formed in her hand. “For every time you pushed me down. For every time you criticized. Now, at last, I am the Master!”

“At what cost?” he asked. “Your gifts were natural. Now what are you?”

“More than human,” she said. “More than flesh. Perfected.”

His stomach churned. A memory of another time came to him—a time when the Lin Kuei tried to turn its warriors into soulless, interchangeable machines. He had thought it a foul, disgusting practice to take away one’s humanity and soul. The worst violation.

And now his student, the one he valued above all others, not only went down that same path, she gleefully embraced it.

“Have I failed you so badly, Frost? Was I such a poor teacher?”

“You ask me that?!” she replied, laughing. “Look around you, Sub-Zero! Only a fool would look to you as a teacher or friend or ally. What is your life but a trail of corpses?”

“What are you talking about?”

“There are other timelines, Sifu. Kronika showed me. No matter which world we exist in, you always fail your poor friend Smoke. Bi-Han … me … the Lin Kuei … everything you touch suffers the same fate as all things that freeze. They wither, die, and shatter.”

Kuai Liang felt as though he was adrift in a violent ocean with nothing but a meager piece of driftwood to cling to. Different memories clashed in his mind. He saw contradictory versions of his life, and with it came the horror of realizing how often time and reality had been changed around him.

But what truly chilled him to his core was the truth Frost’s taunts. Whether turned to a cyborg or revenant, Smoke was always doomed. Regardless of timeline, Bi-Han becomes a cold-blooded wraith. And no matter how hard he tries, he can never save Frost from herself.

“Is it sinking in, Sifu?” she asked. “For all your efforts at greatness and honor, you’re just another failure clinging to lost causes like all the rest. But fear not. I may remake you as one of my cyber-ninja. And then _you_ can be _my_ student.”

She raised the ice-blade to cut his head off, when a chill blew through the main hall of the temple. Snow formed in the air, and Frost hesitated as her cyborg body froze. Her eyes turned angry as she tried to fight it, but a beam of ice engulfed her before she could strike.

From the shadows, a woman clad in white and black Lin Kuei garb appeared. She kicked at Frost’s frozen legs, shattering them to tiny shards. Sub-Zero’s former student screamed in rage as she hit the floor, and without wasting a moment, the woman froze the heads of the two cyborgs holding him. He tore free from their grasp and with a single swinging kick, broke both their heads off their shoulders.

He looked to his rescuer and recognized her pale skin and black hair streaked with blue. “Xue?”

Xue Tianshi nodded at her brother and said, “Come. We must go before more come.”

He hesitated, again baffled by the events unfolding around him. His knew his sister, yes, but she wasn’t trained to fight. When or how did she become a Lin Kuei warrior, too?

“Xue,” he said. “I don’t understand …”

“That makes two of us, brother,” she said. “But let us worry about it later.”

She led him to the nearest corridor, but he resisted. Frost writhed on the floor, screaming and shouting threats and promises of revenge. Smoke was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps worst: more Tekunin cyborgs poured in from the broken entrance of the temple. The Lin Kuei was lost.

“Kuai Liang!” Xue shouted. “Please! We must go!”

With a heavy heart, Sub-Zero joined his sister and escaped, but not without swearing he would learn who was responsible for this disaster and bring them to justice.

* * *

“Chow, listen to me! I’m your brother! Let me help you!”

Chow hesitated, the grin still fixed on his face, and tilted his head in curiosity. The scarred mess of flesh where his eyes had been took away his ability to make expressions, giving him an unsettling doll-like presence, as if he was a puppet directed by some unseen force.

“Help me?” he repeated. “But brother, it is I who has come to help you.”

Liu tried to stand. The wound on his side wasn’t severe, but it was deep enough to cause much bleeding. He shook his head and tried to make sense of what was happening. The sudden Tarkatan attack was enough, but why had his brother suddenly gone mad?

“Chow, please … talk to me. This can’t be you …”

“Did you know there was a time I envied you, Liu? You were the Chosen One—destined to defend Earthrealm from the forces of evil. Whereas my destiny … went down a very different path.”

“You’re not making sense!” he shouted. “We both grew up here with the Shaolin! We’ve both competed in—”

Chow grimaced and kicked him in his injured rib. “Look past this ridiculous dream that’s been conjured for you,” he said. “Remember the world as it’s supposed to be. Mortal Kombat is not some hallowed tournament of honor and skill. It is an unending sickness of pain and death inflicted by cruel gods who don’t give a damn about us.”

The blow made Liu’s legs buckle. Clutching his side, he sank to his knees and tried to ignore his brother’s ranting. Somehow, despite his missing eyes, Chow seemed aware of his surroundings. He would need to move carefully if he hoped to subdue him.

“We’ve both been marked by fate, brother,” Chow continued. “As I said, I once thought yours was the great destiny, but now I wonder. I know a time when you were killed by the treachery of sorcerers, only to be revived as an undead abomination. There’s another time where you meet your end by Raiden’s hand, only to become Emperor of the damned.” The vacant smile faltered slightly, becoming a genuine smirk. “And yet another where you fail your beloved princess when she needed you most.”

A chill came to Liu’s blood. Although he meant to ignore it as the ravings of madman, Chow’s words sparked something. Memories he had thought were mere dreams … or nightmares. Different lifetimes that all end in death, misery, and shame no matter how many times he prevailed in Mortal Kombat.

“My destiny was one of pain, too,” Chow said. “But unlike you … doomed to forever fight against the current … I emerged enlightened.”

“What happened to you, Chow? Why are you doing this?”

“I am a herald,” he said, holding up his bloody dagger. “I bring tidings from the abyss. They’re coming, Liu. If we are the dream of One Being, they are its nightmare. Join us …”

His brother approached, and for all his training and experience as Earthrealm’s Champion, Liu Kang found himself frozen. He couldn’t fathom what Chow was talking about, and it wouldn’t occur to him until later his brother might have intended to do worse than kill him with that dagger.

But Chow stopped in his tracks and frowned. He then ducked, narrowly avoiding the razor-tipped hat that whizzed over his head and embedded in the wall beside him. Though blind, he turned to face Kung Lao and hissed at the Shaolin warrior.

Lao’s hat reappeared on his head, and he leapt at Chow with his Bullet Kick. Chow evaded the attack and backed to the window still grinning. Outside, thunder rumbled and lightning flashed, signaling Kung Lao had not come alone.

“Another time, brother,” Chow hissed before diving out the window to escape.

Liu’s instinct was to give chase. Catch his brother and demand answers or appeal to his sanity. Or perhaps rush out to find Raiden and rejoin the battle for the Shaolin Temple. But his strength left him as the horror and more forgotten memories settled in. He sank to the floor, holding his bleeding side, and felt ill.

Kung Lao checked the body of his ancestor and shook his head. “I’ve long dreamed of meeting my namesake,” he said. “This is not what I had in mind.”

“What do you remember, Lao?” he asked. “Is it coming back to you, too?”

“Too much,” he replied. “Like waking from a bad dream.”

Raiden appeared at the door, his body pulsing with electricity. Upon seeing Liu, he rushed to his side. “Forgive me, my boy,” he said, checking the wound. “I should’ve come sooner. The Tarkatans are fleeing.”

Liu looked to his mentor, and a mix of emotions clashed within him. Part of him was grateful. Another felt suspicious and angry. But overall was the sense of confusion. “What’s going on, Raiden? Why has this happened?”

“I don’t know. But once we’re finished here, I intend to find out.”

* * *

The clone barely acknowledged the strange blue light that flashed through the Flesh Pit. She merely hesitated and shrugged before resuming her attempt to scar Mileena’s face.

Mileena felt the tip of the blade enter her flesh. She screamed and howled, not just from the pain, but the horror of what was happening to her. She struggled, but despair robbed her of much of her strength. In her mind, she imagined a wretched future as her new “sister’s” pet—a pathetic, tamed creature who heeled when she was told and took her abuse without question.

“ _No_!” she shouted. “No! That’s not me! Never!”

She tried to wrestle free, but the clone growled and drove her elbow into her jaw. “Now, now,” the clone said, as if disciplining a disobedient animal. “If you keep squirming, dog, you’re going to mess up my writing. And that would just be unseemly.”

“I am Mileena!” she said. “I was Kahnum of Outworld! I am …”

She almost declared she was the daughter of Shao Kahn. But where was her father now? The clone struck her again, this time with the butt of her blade. The world seemed to spin, and her limbs felt like jelly as the last of her strength faded.

“You _were_ those things,” the clone said. “Now, _I’m_ Mileena and _you_ are my dog. And that’s the way of—”

Her back suddenly arched and flesh paled. A strangled gurgle choked from her mouth as a look of confusion came to her face. Mileena couldn’t see the closed fan that had been plunged into her back, but when she saw Kitana appear behind the clone, she almost thought she was hallucinating.

“No,” said Kitana. “I’m happy with the Mileena I already have.”

She rammed her other fan into the clone’s mouth and snapped it open—bisecting her head at the jawline.

The clone collapsed in a heap, and Mileena scrambled to her feet, flailing and kicking as if expecting another clone or Kitana herself to attack her. When her sister made no moves, she sank to the floor and hugged her knees, trying to catch her breath.

Kitana, who looked like she’d been through her own personal hell, glanced around the Flesh Pit and the various dead clones that littered the floor. She sighed and shook her head. “You know,” she said. “It gets lost under his other, worse characteristics, but something really needs to be said about Shao Kahn’s bizarre fixation on me. Because all this … over me?”

Mileena said nothing, shaking off the nausea and chills her confrontations left her with, and put her mask back on. To be faced with one clone more deformed than her, then another that was “perfected,” made her skin crawl in a way she’d never experienced. Throughout her life, she was always the one to intimidate and frighten others. Having it turned on her was something that made her ill.

More surreal was Kitana of all people coming to her aid. Thinking about it, she supposed her sister was fortunate she was the clone their father settled on. If the perfected one had ever been born, Kitana would’ve been killed centuries ago.

_And what would’ve become of me?_

“Mileena, I have no idea what Onaga’s doing up there, but this is all probably—”

“Shao Kahn is here,” she blurted out. “Our father lives. He’s here, now.”

Kitana paled, as if she saw a ghost.

“He’s here,” she repeated. “He’s in this pyramid. He said he’s going to return to Outworld and take what is his.”

Kitana hesitated, taking it in. She held her chest and took deep breaths to stay calm. “Onaga,” she said. “It must be him. I don’t know why he would bring Kahn back but …” She closed her eyes and let out a pained sigh. “I have to stop him.”

She shivered upon saying it, and Mileena knew, even if she really had defeated their father once before, that didn’t mean she could do it again. But then Kitana looked at her, and silence fell between them. They stared at each other, and she saw the worry in her sister’s eyes wasn’t about Kahn.

_She’s wondering what I will do_ …

Maybe Kitana could defeat Kahn again. But she definitely couldn’t do it if Mileena came to his aid. She gripped her fans and frowned. The silence was painful, as she seemed torn whether to go after Kahn right there or do something else.

Mileena hesitated, uncertain whether to expect an attack or a speech.

Finally, after what felt like a long time, she shook her head. “Mileena, there’s nothing I can say that you haven’t heard. That you don’t already know. He must not be allowed to escape this pyramid. He can’t get out there again.” She sighed again, and a look of resignation came to her. “I must face him again, Mileena. Do what you will.”

She offered a final, sad smile to her sister and left the Flesh Pit.

* * *

The light was blinding. Even with them shut, Shang Tsung’s eyes stung. The air came alive with warmth, like electricity, and he felt a force of great power followed by Onaga’s angered roar. And then he fell to the ground.

When the light faded, his head was ringing. He felt dizzy and disoriented, but was pleased to be able to breathe again. When he opened his eyes, he was startled to find the Dragon King’s arm lying beside him—severed up to the elbow.

Onaga himself was nowhere to be seen, but his howls could be heard echoing in the distance. He wasn’t gone, but whatever Sareena did with the Kamidogu, she also managed to wound and delay him.

Tsung looked to the altar and saw her lying on the ground near it. As he approached, he noticed steam coming from her body. Her flesh was almost white, and she looked like she was already dead. Her breathing was shallow as he cradled her in his arms. Her eyes were vacant and distant, as if she was in shock.

“Sareena?” he asked. “What … what did you do?”

Her voice was weak. He could barely hear her through her frail breaths. “… I … I don’t know,” she said. “… they … they were dying … I needed to do something … I just … I …” She drifted away a moment and blinked. “… they needed hope …”

He looked at the Amulet and couldn’t guess what state reality was in now. He doubted Sareena could do much, but maybe enough to counter Onaga’s efforts? Maybe at least give the fools out there a fighting chance?

She convulsed. When he felt her chest, her heart was weak, and he quickly saw this wasn’t like Ashrah’s sword. She wasn’t being eaten away from the inside by some divine light or poisonous force. The strain of using the Kamidogu had pushed her beyond her limits.

“I can’t heal you, Sareena,” he said. “The damage is too severe. You’re going to die.”

She simply sighed. Her eyes were sad, but accepting. A strange thing happened to Shang Tsung then. He felt … something. Distressed was the word he would use. He didn’t like it. It made him angry.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” he said. “I told you using the Kamidogu would kill anyone who tried. You fool. You’re a fool.”

“… someone had to …” she said. “… you said it yourself … I’m just a demon …” She managed a slight chuckle, but a tear dripped from her eye. “… expendable …”

He scowled. It disgusted him that this creature should die for the sake of ungrateful mortals would never even know her name. He didn’t understand it.

She convulsed again, and her human form flickered. Closing his eyes, Tsung placed his hands on her head and stomach. He sensed no fear in her. Green energy engulfed her body, but she didn’t react. When it faded, her human form was restored to its normal, healthy appearance.

She blinked and looked at him. “What did you do?”

“I can’t heal you,” he said. “But … I made it so you will retain your human form. When you die … you won’t revert back to your true form. You will be remembered as you are.”

“… thank you.”

He hesitated. Had anyone ever thanked him for anything in his life?

“You’re a fool,” he repeated. “Throwing your life away for them. They’re not worth it, and you owed them nothing.”

“… Shang Tsung …”

Her breathing slowed, and her eyes glazed over, but her face was serene.

“… I’m not cold anymore …”

Sareena smiled and closed her eyes, her last breath like a gentle sigh.

**End of Chapter XIX**


	20. Closure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final battles.

Kitana would lie if she said she didn’t hesitate when she found Shao Kahn. That some part of her didn’t consider she should let him escape the pyramid so she could confront him another day with allies and an army. There was logic in that thinking. She defeated him before, but how much of that was luck? Or what if it had simply been the right time on the right day—never to be repeated?

She caught up to him not far from the recreated Flesh Pit. He roamed the corridors, apparently seeking a portal that would lead him elsewhere or just a way out. She remembered her father mentioned a portal to Edenia was open somewhere inside. That was how she knew she needed to stop Kahn there or die trying.

If he found it—or any portal—there was no telling what might come next. As far as she knew, he would enter a world that didn’t know his evil and wouldn’t be prepared for it. Even without an army, there was no telling the damage he could do. The only thing between him and the realms was her.

“Shao Kahn!”

He stopped and turned. Upon seeing his devilish eyes on her, Kitana almost felt like a child again. She pushed it aside with a deep breath and approached him. He said nothing and made no moves. His skull-mask hid any expression he might have had. Somehow, his simply standing still in total silence made him more intimidating.

“I cannot allow you to leave here,” she said, snapping her fans open. “The realms will not suffer you again.”

He stretched his arm out, and with a flash of green light, his War-Hammer appeared in his hand. The head hit the floor with a heavy thud, cracking the stone. “I’ve heard this speech before,” he said. “Yet despite your efforts, Kitana, I still live.”

“An error I won’t repeat,” she said. “I’ve beaten you once, I’ll do it again.”

“I underestimated you once. An error _I_ won’t repeat.”

With a snarl, he swung the hammer at her head. She ducked under and jabbed at his midsection with her fans, but he evaded her and kept her at bay with another swing. In their last battle, he thought to overwhelm her with brute strength, and she prevailed with speed and precision. Already she could tell he wouldn’t try that again.

He lunged at her with a Shadow Charge. She rolled out of the way, and he plowed into the wall, caving it in. She might have had an opening to counter, but her battle with Sindel slowed her more than she would’ve liked. She instead played it safe and kept her distance.

Kahn brushed the dust and shards of stone off his shoulders and chuckled. “Cautious as ever,” he said. “I commend you for not letting your previous victory go to your head. Or do I owe that to your mother humbling you on the Sea of Blood?”

“You owe that Sindel a great many things, I think. If not for her, you’d still be blind and crippled in an Outworld dungeon awaiting execution.”

He forced a smirk, but she saw through it. Although he sought to rattle her with taunts over her defeat, reminding him of his own and the helplessness that followed wounded him more.

He threw the hammer at her. She ducked and knew it was only to leave her open to his next charge. She caught him with her Fan Lift, which allowed her to connect with a Square Wave attack that sent him crashing down the corridor.

Wasting no time, she dove at him, intent on plunging her closed fans into his heart. He rolled out of the way and dodged her follow-up slash. He then held his hand out, seeming to summon his weapon to him. Expecting the War-Hammer to come hurtling at her, Kitana ducked.

But it was a feint. With her off guard, Kahn drove his fist into her gut so hard her feet actually lifted off the floor. The wind was torn from her, and she thought her ribs had shattered. He took her by her shoulder and drove his helmeted forehead into her face.

The world seemed to spin, and she felt like she was floating. But she held onto her fans, and when Kahn began laughing, she drove one just below his right armpit and the other into his left rib. Before she could inflict more damage by snapping them open, he struck with an open palm to her chest that sent her hurtling across the hall in a heap.

This time he did summon the War-Hammer to his grip. Despite her dizziness and lack of breath, Kitana forced herself up and connected with a Pretty Kick to his head. He attempted to backhand her, but she ducked and scored another slash at his thigh.

Frustrated, he tried to grab her neck. Quitting while she was ahead, Kitana back-flipped away and threw one of her fans at him, knowing he would block it, but trying to create some distance to catch her breath.

Shao Kahn stared at her, his face a foul grimace. He counted his wounds, seeming more insulted and irritated than weakened, and sighed. Kitana’s heart pounded, and her breathing was quick. She resisted her fear but knew at the rate they were going, she would need to hit him at least five times for every one blow he landed just to keep it even.

“I wonder, Kitana,” he said. “Perhaps I’ve underestimated you your whole life? You were once my finest and my favorite. I always knew there was a chance you might turn on me should you learn the truth of your father and Edenia. But even then, I don’t think I foresaw your tenacity.”

She couldn’t care less what he had to say, but she did need time to regroup. “Is that all it was, Kahn?” she replied. “All the years you kept me as your own? Arrogance?”

“I’ve lived a long time,” he said. “Time to have many reasons to do what I do. Is it so unbelievable that you could be my trophy, yet at the same time, my daughter that I dared take pride in? Is it so strange that I could’ve wanted you at my side, yet see you as a threat? I am a conqueror, Kitana, and conquering you—whether as your father or your mortal enemy—has been a surprising delight to me these thousands of years.”

The more he spoke, the more her frown deepened to a scowl. She almost wished he just hated her and that was all. It would’ve been simple. But to hear him speak of her like a prize or plaything for his amusement offended her more than she imagined.

“But I’ve learned from my errors,” he continued. “After our battle in the coliseum, I see you truly have come into your own as a genuine threat. So I will no longer regard you as my prodigal daughter. But you will still pleasure me, Kitana. For now I shall take my delight in crushing your hope and breaking your spirit.”

He grinned.

“… as I had on the Sea of Blood when I took your armies from you and broke your precious Chosen One.”

She charged at him with a roar. Whatever fear she felt or worry about her previous injuries drowned in a storm of rage. She slashed and jabbed with her fans, aiming for any opening she could find—ideally his throat.

Kahn blocked her with his War-Hammer and countered with wide swings and crushing blows that cracked and shattered the surrounding walls and floor. But Kitana evaded his attacks and maintained her aggression.

Unfortunately, while fighting up close negated the hammer, she was eventually left open to his Rising Knee. The attack caught her in the jaw and lifted her off the ground. While she was in mid-air, Kahn snatched her ankle and slammed her into the floor before swinging her into the opposite wall.

He leapt at her with his hammer in an overhead swing. If he connected, he might’ve broken her in half, but she found the strength to roll out of the way. Screaming, she jabbed her foot out and connected directly into his face. Off balance, he stumbled and was left open to Kitana’s overhead swing.

The fan cracked against his skull-helmet. He barked in pain and elbowed her in the gut. She stumbled backward and sank to a knee, catching her breath. Her anger was still strong, and she wasn’t close to submitting, but there was no denying the fight was taking its toll.

Kahn stomped away and tore his helmet off. When he looked at her, he was bleeding from a diagonal cut across his face. He ground his teeth, and his eyes burned, for as much as he claimed to enjoy tormenting her, his pride didn’t appreciate her resistance.

He was about to resume their battle, when he stopped and saw something behind her. Though still angry, he managed a smug smile. Kitana gulped, already knowing who stood there. She looked over her shoulder and found, with sai drawn and yellow eyes staring down at her, the moment of truth had come.

“Mileena …”

* * *

“Ask yourself, Scorpion: what is it you hope to achieve here?”

Scorpion didn’t answer. He glared at Quan Chi, already knowing any words that came from the sorcerer’s mouth were poison. His enemy maintained a calm front, eyes like a chess player considering his next move, but Scorpion sensed fear. The monster he created had come to collect.

“Did we not just see your wife and son here now?” Quan Chi asked. “They appear to be at peace. Does that not quell your need for revenge?”

He still said nothing. What was there to say? The bastard sorcerer knew his crimes and was incapable of feeling shame for them. If anything, he always seemed to relish hearing of his victims’ torment. Scorpion never was one for grand speeches anyway.

Quan Chi sneered. “But that’s it, isn’t it? What is the dreaded Scorpion without his search for vengeance? Who would you be if you didn’t have the great enemy to hunt? You may be unwilling to admit it, but you need me.”

Silence.

“I made you what you are, Scorpion. What would your world be without me? Even if you did manage to finally kill me, what then would—”

The spectre lunged at him with kunai in hand. The blade pierced through Quan Chi’s armor and sank into his left shoulder. He roared in pain, and Scorpion followed with a swinging kick to the gut that sent him stumbling into wall. Eyes burning, Quan Chi tore the kunai out and threw it to the floor.

“So be it,” he hissed. “I’ll have to rid myself of you with my own hands after all.”

The two enemies charged like rams. They plowed into one another and each began unloading blows to the face. For all Quan Chi’s conniving and scheming, when he needed to, he was as capable of brute force as anyone. But Scorpion’s fury gave him the advantage, and the first exchange left the sorcerer reeling.

He answered with trickery, manifesting a green skull in his hand that he crushed directly in front of Scorpion’s face. The shards and flash of light it caused distracted enough for Quan Chi to catch him with a strong uppercut that sent him hurtling through the air into the opposite wall.

Scorpion shook off the attack and tore off his yellow ninja vest and gi jacket—both of which were soaked in blood. His bare chest revealed the numerous wounds Harumi had inflicted during their battle. The familiar rage swelled inside, but his mind was clear and focused on the task ahead.

He tackled Quan Chi into the wall—dodging a thrown Skull Fireball—and rained blow after blow onto his face. This had been a long time coming. No amount of damage from Harumi or Noob Saibot could slow him. Every strike was release. At long last, through altered timelines and changed reality, Quan Chi was his to end.

Quan Chi tried to defend himself, but his efforts were fruitless. After driving his knee into his head multiple times, Scorpion hurled the sorcerer over his shoulder and slammed him into the floor.

His foe dragged himself along. “Mercy …” he moaned, holding his hands up. “Leave me be … please …” He coughed up some blood and got to his knees. “You took your revenge, Scorpion! You killed me once already! What more do you want from this poor old man?”

He saw no purpose in explaining how that had been a different Hanzo Hasashi. The very idea Quan Chi would expect pity after all he’d done sickened him. He took the sorcerer by the neck and raised his fist.

“We’re past vengeance now,” he said. “This is bigger than me. Your evil cannot be allowed to continue.”

“Arrogant as ever, ninja.”

The voice came from behind. Scorpion turned and found Quan Chi standing there with a cold, analytical face. When he looked back, he saw he was only holding up a bare skeleton and realized too late he’d fallen for the sorcerer’s trickery.

He attempted to teleport away, forgetting that it didn’t work inside the pyramid. He felt Quan Chi’s fingers press against his back and a surge of terrible power tore through him. The pain was unimaginable, as if razorblades ran through his insides. Blood sprayed from the wounds inflicted upon him by Harumi, and Scorpion roared in agony as he collapsed to the floor.

“I’m not done,” Quan Chi hissed, gripping the back of his neck.

He drove his knee into Scorpion’s head and tossed him to the other side of the chamber. Dazed and on his back, Scorpion was unable to dodge the Teleport Stomp that followed. Quan Chi’s weight slammed into his gut as if he’d dropped from the ceiling. The sorcerer punctuated his assault with a few more stomps to his ribs.

“It’s charming, really,” he said. “That you’ve deluded yourself into believing your petty revenge is a noble cause.”

Standing over the spectre, Quan Chi clasped his hands together and meant to hammer his fists down onto his face. Scorpion managed to avoid the attack, but he had little left. He barely got to his feet and stumbled away, only for Quan Chi to grip his shoulder and drive punches into his kidney.

In desperation, he tried to counter with an elbow. But his opponent blocked it with ease and manifested another mystical skull in his hand. Smiling, he smashed it over Scorpion’s head, leaving him out on his feet. He finished his assault with a Skull Fireball that left the ninja flat on his back on the floor.

“As if you’re the first or only fool I’ve used up and tossed aside?” he continued. “Did you truly believe you would be the one to bring me to ‘justice?’ _I’m thrice your age, boy_! You’re no more a stinging scorpion to me than a nagging fly.”

He stomped his foot down on his chest.

“You should’ve had the good sense to stay down when I was through with you. But you had to go and take it all personally and hound my every step. I was willing to forget you as I’d forgotten so many others. And now that you’ve managed to piss me off, I’m going to take special care to defile whatever pathetic excuse of a life you’ve made for yourself.

“Your renewed Shirari Ryu clan? They will die. Your wife, wherever she’s gone? She will suffer. Your son? I’ll find him, too. You thought I did you wrong before?” He grinned. “You have no idea how ugly I can be.”

Scorpion tried to speak. To find some defiance. But though his will was strong, back-to-back battles with Moloch, Noob Saibot, Harumi and Quan Chi had pushed his physical strength to its limit.

“Take heart, Hanzo. If your inane pursuit for vengeance is all you have, I shall happily provide you with more reason to exist. In the meantime …”

He outstretched his arm, and a sword appeared in his hand with a flash of green light. He held it up, intent on cutting Scorpion’s head from his shoulders.

Summoning the last of his strength, Scorpion launched a chained kunai up. It missed Quan Chi, as he expected, but the spear hit the ceiling and held. Taking advantage of the sorcerer’s distraction, he sprang to his feet and wrapped the chain around Quan Chi’s neck and held it taut.

“I already told you,” he said. “The time for vengeance is over. I have a better reason to live now.”

“You think you’ve bested me with this?” Quan Chi spat, clawing at the chain. “I’ll be free of this in moments …”

“I know,” he replied. “I just needed you still.”

Quan Chi’s eyes widened as he realized what was coming. Still holding the chain tight, Scorpion tore off his hood and mask, revealing the skull hidden beneath. The sorcerer managed a final bellow before he unleashed hellfire directly into his face.

Quan Chi’s body twitch and convulsed as the flesh on his head burned away until there was nothing but a charred black skull. When the last of the sorcerer’s howls faded away to nothing, Scorpion released the chain and let the remains crumble to the floor. He then burned the rest of his body until there was nothing left of Quan Chi but charred bone and ash.

* * *

Kitana locked eyes with Mileena and didn’t even breathe. She saw the sai in her “sister’s” hands but said nothing, knowing they were beyond words by this point. She dared not hope she would aid her, yet felt no fear of betrayal either. After centuries and different timelines, their story had reached its climax one way or another.

“Begin, Mileena,” Kahn said. “This is your chance to at last prove you’re her better. Rid me of her once and for all.”

Mileena’s eyes shifted from Kitana to their step-father and back to Kitana. For as long as either could remember, pleasing him was more than enough for her to eagerly do his bidding, no matter how often he proved unworthy of such devotion. And many times, Kitana hoped she would finally understand that.

She braced herself, feeling oddly calm. In the past month alone, she’d seen grand heights and catastrophic depths. She’d seen her parents betray her and redeem themselves. Could anything her “sister” did surprise her now, one way or the other?

“Do what you will, Mileena,” Kitana said. “It was always your choice. I’m ready.”

Mileena’s eyes narrowed, and she crossed her sai in front of her chest. Glaring at her, she said, “I already told you that nothing’s changed between us.”

She raised the sai to throw. Kitana held her breath, feeling no fear, and awaited what would come next. Mileena snarled and hurled the two sai as hard as she could …

… into Shao Kahn’s chest.

“But _everything_ ’s changed between _us_ , ‘Father!’”

Kahn howled in rage as the two blades embedded themselves just above his left rib and below his right clavicle. The weapons then disappeared in a flash of purplish-pink light and reappeared in Mileena’s hands, leaving bleeding wounds behind.

Kitana turned to face him. She spared a glance at her sister and nodded before taking a fighting stance. Mileena gave a nod of her own before taking one, too. Kitana almost didn’t believe what was happening. She wondered if Mileena believed it. The exhilaration she felt shocked her—at last, she stood side by side with her sister against Shao Kahn.

Ahead, he held his War-Hammer and looked upon his daughters with disdain and resignation. “So be it,” he said. “My children … let us begin.”

He charged at them with a roar, and the sisters answered in kind. Kitana’s methodical, defensive attacks allowed Mileena’s speed and ferocity to find her marks. Mileena’s aggression and constant movement gave Kitana openings to cut away at Kahn with her fans. They coordinated without thinking, moving in sync without consciously realizing, and complemented one another. For the first time, Kitana and Mileena fought as one.

It took everything Kahn had just to keep up. He swung with his War-Hammer, trying to crush either of them or at least hold them at bay. But whenever he managed to force Mileena away, Kitana struck with a kick or slice of her fan. If he evaded Kitana, it was only to walk into Mileena’s sai or an uppercut.

A flurry of attacks knocked the hammer from his hands. Before he could recover it, he took a running knee from both sisters to his face at the same time that made the Outworld Emperor fall to the floor. As blood dripped from his broken nose, he looked up at the two in outrage.

“This cannot be!” he said. “I made the both of you! Who do you think you are?!”

“We’ve outgrown you,” Kitana replied.

“‘We,’” he repeated. “Is this your choice, Mileena? Are you proud of yourself? Accepting that you will forever exist in her shadow?”

“You were the one who put me in her shadow,” she said.

“I wanted you to escape it,” he said, getting to his feet. “To be your best. The daughter I wished you to be.”

Mileena’s eyes twitched. Kitana sensed the conflicting emotions in her but said nothing. Instead, she silently urged her sister to see past Kahn’s lies, hoping if there was a link between them, she would accept her encouragement.

“You chose your daughter,” Mileena said. “Remember? But she’s dead now.”

His face darkened. Veins throbbed in his neck and temple. His fury was so potent, so overbearing, it actually brought a chill to the corridor. In all the years she’d known him, Kitana didn’t recall ever seeing him so angry.

Without warning, he let rip a horrific snarl like a wild animal and lunged at them. He grabbed Kitana by the neck with his right hand and Mileena by hers with his left. He attacked with such abandon and rage, they were both caught off guard and pressed against the wall.

Kitana slashed at him on reflex but only inflicted a minor wound on his chest. Mileena similarly stabbed at his arm, but he showed no sign of feeling it. His grip was like a metal vice. His hands may as well have been made from stone.

“ _You dare_?!” he roared. “You _dare_ defy me?! I tire of the _both_ of you! I will not be undone by you ungrateful, spoiled whores! I AM _ETERNAL_!”

He was mad with rage. His eyes bulged, and his teeth gritted with drool dripping down his chin. His grip tightened, and he lifted them off the floor, intent on crushing both their necks right there with no regard for himself.

Mileena frantically dug her sai into his arm at the elbow. Despite the damage, he didn’t loosen his grip, and Kitana saw she was weakening. Her own head throbbing and vision blurring, she started chopping at the same arm with her fan, hoping their combined effort would work.

Pain at last came to Kahn’s face as the meat and muscle of his arm cut away. Kitana’s strength left her, but she saw Mileena at last escape his grip. Screaming, her sister then rammed both of her sai into his abdomen and wrenched them as hard as she could.

He grimaced and threw Kitana across the corridor. He then snatched Mileena’s head with his good arm and slammed her into the wall before likewise throwing her aside like a ragdoll.

A moment of calm followed, as all three fighters were driven to exhaustion. Kitana sat up, sore and feeling like the world was spinning. Breathing hurt and the taste of blood filled her mouth. Not far from her, Mileena seemed no better, struggling to get back to her feet.

Kahn, though still standing, stumbled and blood vomited from his mouth. He pulled one of the sai from his stomach. It came out slowly, and the pain was visible on his face. Sweat drenched his entire body, and his breathing sounded as haggard as hers. His bad arm hung limp at his side, shredded to the bone.

As he started pulling the second sai out, Kitana summoned what strength she had left and plowed into him with a Square Wave attack. He bounced off the nearest wall and staggered into the center of the corridor in a daze.

“Fall, damn you!” she screamed, her voice hoarse. “ _Fall_!”

He looked at her with defiance. “… never … you will never defeat—”

Mileena struck him in the back of the head with her Teleport Kick. He staggered toward Kitana who, holding the fan with both hands, hit him with an uppercut swing that cut him open from navel to collarbone.

His blood sprayed onto the ceiling and more leaked from his mouth. He wavered on his feet and then stumbled against the nearest wall and sank to the floor. His eyes were wide in seeming confusion, as if he couldn’t comprehend what was happening or how he’d come to this.

Kitana and Mileena stood over him and looked at each other. Neither spoke, but they shared the sense of disbelief. They’d done it. At long last, their step-father was dying. They would be free of him once and for all. And they’d done it together.

“… this isn’t over,” he choked out. “… you will … always be nothing, Mileena. And you … Kitana … you will never find peace. Neither of you will ever …”

She slashed his face with her fan, severing his jaw. His eyes widened, as he was reduced to making only sick gurgling noises.

“No,” she said. “You don’t get to speak anymore. You don’t get the last word. It’s over. You die now, Shao Kahn, and this time you stay dead. You’re going to the Netherealm where you belong, and I want you to remember this moment. Every day you are tormented and tortured down there, for the rest of your miserable existence, I want you to remember who it was that put you there! You remember no matter what you did, no matter what you took away, that _I_ am still standing! That _she_ rejected you! _WE_ BEAT YOU!”

His eyes were a mix of outrage and shock. He slumped down even more and reached out to Mileena—even then thinking she would come to his aid. She knelt down and looked in him the eye.

“I have nothing to prove to you anymore,” she said before driving her sai into his heart.

She stepped away and watched him convulse and gurgle. His eyes bulging, he looked at his hand and it slowly turned gray. A crackling noise could be heard as his body turned to stone. He strained and choked, but could do nothing while his life drained away, leaving only a broken, rocky shell. Within moments, all that remained was a decrepit statue—face frozen in horror.

In the end, Shao Kahn’s death came not with a great flash of light or thunderous explosion. The stone he’d become simply shattered like a porcelain plate. The dust drifted away with a sigh, leaving his daughters to take in his death with silence.

And relief.

* * *

Shang Tsung stared at Sareena. She retained her human form after death, as he promised, and appeared at peace. Her eyes were closed, and there was no sign of fear or pain on her face. In fact, her mouth almost seemed to be curved in a slight smile. At a glance, one could believe she was merely sleeping.

He tried to understand why her death troubled him. He pictured anyone else giving their life the way she had and not caring in the slightest. Perhaps even laughing at them. Had it been Liu Kang, he would surely have taunted the boy before taking his soul. Yet Sareena’s sacrifice left him feeling hollow.

Scorpion appeared on the apex, escaping the pyramid finally. He looked ready for battle, though given the state he was in, Tsung wasn’t sure how much help the spectre would be. His ninja garb was in shambles and body riddled with cuts all over his body. Though willing, he looked ready to collapse.

“Shang Tsung?” he asked upon seeing him. “What are you doing …?” He trailed off upon seeing Sareena. “What have you done?”

“I’ve done nothing.”

“What happened to Sareena?” he demanded, anger brewing in his voice. “Answer me!”

“She saved you,” he replied. “She saved all of us. Onaga activated the Kamidogu. I don’t know what exactly he did, but he spoke of unleashing nightmares and everyone’s worst fears. Not just here but all the realms.

“I had come to face him,” he continued. “But his strength was too great. And then Sareena … she used the Kamidogu herself to give us a chance.”

He looked at Scorpion and saw dawning realization in his eyes. He couldn’t guess what the ninja faced inside the pyramid, but from his expression, it seemed to line up with his story.

“The strain was too much for her, as I warned. She’s gone.”

Scorpion knelt beside her. The anger in his eyes faded and was replaced with mourning and regret. Ever the romantic, Tsung thought. But as tempted as he was to sneer and dismiss the ninja’s solemn display, he couldn’t deny Sareena’s demise bothered him more than he believed capable.

“Onaga,” Scorpion said. “Where is he now?”

Before he could answer, Kitana and Mileena emerged from the pyramid as well. Like Scorpion, they both appeared to have seen their share of hardship. The Princess looked around, noting Havik and Ermac’s bodies, and asked the obvious questions: “What happened out here? Where’s Onaga?”

“Sareena stalled him,” he replied. “He’s injured but not gone. Depending on how damaged his wings are, I expect he’ll return any moment.”

As if in reply, Onaga’s roar echoed in the distance. He was indeed out there and making his way back, and by the sound of it, quite displeased to put it mildly. Looking over his apparent allies, it was clear to Tsung none of them were in ideal shape to fight the Dragon King, even if he was wounded by Sareena’s efforts.

He turned toward the altar and considered their options. Regardless of how weakened the Dragon King may be, Shinnok’s Amulet was the key. As long as they got it away, they would at least disable his ability to use the Kamidogu. Onaga would no doubt devote his energy to reclaiming it, but was that Tsung’s concern? The Amulet was the goal. The rest would be Raiden and his champions’ problem.

 _We were born empty_. _So we crave. We hunger. And we try so hard to find something to fill it_.

It was Sareena’s voice that came to him then. His part in this was done, but Shang Tsung’s mind wandered. What then? Would he simply go back to accumulating power as always? Continue waging an endless war against Raiden and his fighters? Claw and climb his way up all over again in the hope of ruling all as he had with Kronika’s Hourglass? Maybe even learn to master the Kamidogu?

For some reason, just imagining that tired him.

He looked at Scorpion—eternally seeking vengeance that always seemed just out of reach. Kitana … how many times had she come so close to getting what she dreamed just to watch it ripped away? Mileena … forever clinging to her belief if she could surpass her sister, all would be right.

He would normally mock them for struggling so desperately for lost causes, but how many times had he come so close to achieving what he wanted only to be torn down? How many more times must he try?

He’d lived for over a thousand years, and in that time what had he really accomplished? Centuries under the heel of Shao Kahn. An alliance with Quan Chi that ended in defeat. Even when victory finally was within reach and Kronika’s Hourglass was in his grasp, he found failure once again at Liu Kang’s hand … surviving only by a fluke turn of fate.

… _you can dress yourself in your fancy clothes, and construct massive palaces, and live on your private island with all its riches, and you can gobble up soul after soul for all time, but none of it will fill that cold empty place where our own souls are supposed to be_.

Sareena was just a lowly demon, and yet—as much as he hated to admit it—she saw the truth of him. Perhaps the only being who ever had. Once, long ago, he sought to be Earthrealm’s Champion in Mortal Kombat though his reasons were selfish and methods brutal. The gods dismissed and cursed him, and for centuries he carried the bitterness of that rejection, devoting his life to not only proving them wrong, but paying them back for it. He would prove his worth.

But when the time came, Sareena proved a worthier champion than any of the fools Raiden marched to death over the centuries. Perhaps there was still time for him to as well?

“Scorpion,” he said. “The portal is still open. Take Sareena and go.”

The others hesitated and stared at him. He paid them no mind and reached out to the Amulet. Green energy formed from his hand and wrapped around it. After some resistance, the Amulet came free from the altar and the six Kamidogu pieces dimmed as their pulsing hum went silent.

Amulet in hand, he then passed it to Kitana. “Take this with you,” he said. “Hide it, destroy it … I don’t care. Just get it away from here.”

She looked at it and then at him, eyes wide and confused. “Is this a trick?”

“No,” he said. “Though I’m flattered you believe I’m capable enough to forge a false Amulet, strike a bargain with Onaga, and whatever else you think I’m doing on such short notice. But no deception here, Princess. That is the Amulet, and you’d best be on your way.”

“What about you?” Mileena asked.

He looked into the distance, and he sensed the Dragon King. He was close, and his fury was great. Even if they got the Amulet out of there, he would never rest until he got it back. And if he did, he would certainly use the Kamidogu to extract an unimaginable revenge upon the realms.

“Leave Onaga to me.”

Although he had his back to them, he knew they were all staring at him in disbelief. Kitana no doubt was convinced this was a lie. He honestly couldn’t blame them. Even he would admit this was something he never saw himself doing.

“This doesn’t sound like you, Shang Tsung.”

“I agree,” he replied. “You’d best be on your way before I think better of it.”

“You don’t really expect us to believe this, do you?” Kitana demanded. “You, of all people, will stand alone to face the Dragon King? And we’re supposed to just walk away and leave you be?”

“Feel free to stay if you wish, Princess,” he said. “I think it’s time I’ve faced my destiny. You’re welcome to watch.”

Not far, the roar of the Dragon King echoed again. It was a bloodcurdling sound full of rage and hate, and it was followed by rumbling as the pyramid shook. He had reached the platform again and was making his way back up with thunderous footsteps.

“Go.”

Tsung pressed his palms together and focused. Behind him, Kitana reluctantly left the apex. Mileena hesitated a moment, as if she wanted to say something, but joined her sister. Scorpion cradled Sareena in his arms and took a few steps before stopping. He looked back at the sorcerer but said nothing.

“A final request, Scorpion,” Tsung said. “When you get back, tell … tell everyone. Tell them what happened here. But most especially, tell Raiden and Liu Kang. Tell them …” He thought about it before looking over his shoulder and smirking. “You’re welcome.”

The spectre left him, and the Dragon King’s footsteps grew louder. Green energy formed around him as he harnessed the souls within. He called upon every single one and felt their power inside. The hundreds from Ermac, Reptile, thousands more … legions of souls taken over his long life across multiple timelines.

He glowed in green fire as the souls howled—some stirred after centuries of dormancy. Some even he forgot he had. They swirled around him, itching to burst forth. Keeping his palms pressed together and eyes closed, he concentrated on containing them. He just needed to wait a few more moments.

Onaga emerged at the other end of the apex. He wings were torn and ragged, which probably explained why it took so long for him to fly back. His missing arm wasn’t bleeding—the wound appeared cauterized, as if it had been burned off instead of torn.

Indeed, half the Dragon King’s body was scarred and steaming. Portions of his thick hide were burned away, revealing soft flesh underneath. His breathing was heavy, and his eye—only one, for the other was seared shut—bulged with fury.

He limped forward and noticed the Amulet missing. “MAKES NO DIFFERENCE,” he growled. “YOU’VE MERELY DELAYED ME. WHEN I AM FINISHED WITH YOU, I WILL RECLAIM THE AMULET. AND THEN … THEN THE REALMS WILL KNOW MY WRATH.”

He didn’t seem to pay any mind to the fiery green energy swirling around Tsung. Even in his wounded state, he was confident in his might and assumed there was nothing the sorcerer could do to stop him. He may have been right, if Tsung had planned to fight him with conventional means. But he had a different idea.

“AND THE DEMON WHORE,” Onaga continued. “I’LL PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO HER NOW. I’LL SEE TO IT SHE IS VIOLATED IN ALL THE WAYS SHE FEARS. WHEN SHE DIES, I WILL REVIVE HER SO THAT SHE MAY SUFFER AND DIE AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.”

Tsung smirked, seeing that for all the Dragon King’s talk, he really was no different from Shao Kahn or Quan Chi. Or even himself. Somehow, that made him feel better about what he planned to do. Maybe it was past time he distanced himself from those he’d long associated with? Would Kahn or Quan Chi ever do what he was about to?

Never. He felt pride and amusement in knowing that. In the end, for his final act, Shang Tsung … of all people … would do the noble thing just once.

“NOW TO FINISH … WHAT? WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”

 _And who knows?_ he thought. _Maybe I’ll survive anyway?_

Sheer terror came to Onaga’s face as he realized what was coming. Tsung let rip a great bellow and unleashed every single soul he’d stolen all at once. The pyramid apex was consumed in blinding green light as the thousands of souls tore out of him like a maelstrom.

Onaga screamed as the souls tore into him. Not even his dragon’s hide could resist as his body was ripped and shredded. He tried to shout in denial—a refusal that this should be his demise—but his voice was choked by blood spewing from his mouth. His wings tore away, his torso ripped from his legs, and his chest burst open.

Tsung continued screaming as his souls poured out. They engulfed the apex and even tore into the Kamidogu pieces. Pulsing power surged, and suddenly the entire pyramid was engulfed in a great explosion of light, almost like a supernova. Whatever was left of the Dragon King’s body disintegrated to ash.

When the light faded, there was nothing left in the empty void of the Nexus but dust and the dwindling howls of long dead souls finally free.

**End of Chapter XX**


	21. Pieces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Returning home...

“… and that’s it. That’s what happened.”

Raiden listened in silence as Kitana and Scorpion explained their story. His face was blank and unreadable, but his glowing eyes were deep in thought. Electricity pulsed all over his body as he stood outside Bo’ Rai Cho’s cottage with his arms crossed and cape fluttering in the wind.

The early afternoon sun was dim and hazy. It appeared later than it actually was, and the land was aglow in shades of yellow and brown against a dull pink sky. It was a welcome sight after being trapped in Onaga’s pyramid of horrors amidst a vast void of mist that was the Nexus.

They had little time to recover upon their return before the Thunder God appeared. He didn’t go into detail how, but he had deduced they were the most likely to know the meaning of the chaos that suddenly engulfed the realms. Having found them in Outworld, he wasted no time in demanding an explanation.

Scorpion sat against the railing of Bo’ Rai Cho’s porch, looking drained and exhausted. His body was covered with cuts like he’d been in a fight with a wild animal. Though Kitana did much of the talking, he filled in the parts she wasn’t aware of. Despite her own exhaustion, Kitana remained standing the whole time, unable to shake the dread they’d made a terrible mistake.

“And you say Shang Tsung stayed behind?” Raiden asked, apparently sharing her concern. “You trust he meant to actually fight the Dragon King alone?”

“Trust is a strong word,” Scorpion replied. “But yes, he gave us Shinnok’s Amulet and told us to escape.”

“Show it to me.”

She handed him the Amulet, and he began inspecting it. His face gave away nothing that would suggest it was genuine or a fake. “Can you tell if that’s the real one?”

“It appears to be,” he said. “But I’ve been fooled before. I will take this back to Earthrealm. There are ways of making absolute certain. Where is this portal to the Nexus Shang Tsung opened?”

“Gone,” she said. “After we returned, it … disappeared. I don’t mean it closed, it …” She paused to find the words. “It sort of fizzled out and disintegrated. That’s the only way I can think to describe it.”

Raiden’s eyes narrowed, and he looked into the distance. “Here,” he said, handing the Amulet back to her. “Hold onto this. I will go to the Nexus and see for myself. I should be back shortly.” He took a few steps away and held his hand up. With a bright flash, he disappeared in a bolt of lightning.

Kitana looked at the Amulet, though she had no way of knowing if it was genuine. She’d heard Quan Chi created a duplicate once. Could Tsung have made his own on such short notice? If so, what game was he playing? Had he made a deal with the Dragon King? Was Onaga already dead, and he hoped to be left alone with the Kamidogu?

Any of those explanations would’ve been more believable than the idea Shang Tsung … _Shang Tsung_ … would possibly sacrifice himself for the greater good.

Sighing, she went onto the porch where Scorpion had placed Sareena’s body. She knelt beside the fallen demon and felt sad despite not really knowing her. There wasn’t time back at the pyramid, so it was only when Scorpion offered his side of their story that she learned of how Onaga used the Kamidogu to punish them and the realms.

And Sareena gave up her life to save them all.

“Did you know her?”

“No,” Scorpion said. “She came to me because she didn’t know where else to go. I never knew her before this all happened.”

“She seemed like she had a good heart,” she said. “It’s a strange fate we should be saved by a demon.”

She reflected on the battles in the pyramid and remembered the strange red light that pulsed through the halls just before the corrupted Sindel appeared. If that was Onaga activating the Kamidogu, then the blue light that followed would’ve been Sareena.

_She gave me my real mother back_.

“Do you think …?” she asked. “Do demons have souls? You don’t think she was sent to the Netherealm, do you?”

“I don’t know. I would like to think she’s someplace better now.” He fell silent, thinking it over, and concern came to his eyes.

Raiden reappeared in another flash of lightning. He approached the porch with an object in his hand Kitana couldn’t make out. His face was as unreadable as ever, but she supposed that he returned at all was a good sign.

“There’s nothing left,” he said. “I don’t know what Shang Tsung did, but the pyramid has been reduced to rubble and the Dragon King destroyed.”

Her jaw dropped. Even then, her first instinct was it had to be a trick. The sorcerer must’ve done something or created an illusion to fool even the Thunder God. “You,” she stammered. “You’re certain?”

He held up the object in his hand, revealing a horned skull twice the size of a normal human. “This is all that remains of Onaga,” he said. “There is still potent energy in the air. Unlike anything I’ve ever sensed. As unbelievable as it may seem, it appears Shang Tsung did indeed stay true to his word.”

He gazed upon Onaga’s skull and seemed to reflect on what he just said. She couldn’t tell if Raiden was surprised or impressed or felt anything about what Tsung did, but she swore she saw the slightest hint of a smile on the Thunder God’s lips.

“You think he’s gone for good, too?” Scorpion asked.

“I cannot say what Shang Tsung did, but I would be surprised if he survived,” he said. “But then I’ve learned not to underestimate the sorcerer.”

Kitana shook her head, still unable to believe it. But as it sank in, a single thought came to her: it was over. Onaga and the Kamidogu were gone. Shang Tsung was gone. Shao Kahn, dead. Quan Chi, dead. Whatever state the realms were left in, the current threat was finished, and some of the worst evils to blight them were wiped out.

They won.

She almost didn’t want to feel joy. She feared some other danger would reveal itself or undo their victory. But the relief was too tempting. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. There likely was some other danger out there. There probably was a catch or price yet to be seen. But she allowed herself to enjoy the moment. Shao Kahn was dead, and she helped kill him. The realms were safe for now.

“Raiden,” Scorpion said, standing up. “What of Sareena? She died saving us. If there is a place for the good and worthy, she deserves to go there even if she was a demon.”

The Thunder God fell silent. A tired look came to him. “There are some things even I do not know,” he said. “Sareena … proved worthy. But she was still a demon. I cannot say what would become of a creature such as her.”

Though masked, Kitana saw Scorpion scowl. His fist clenched, and he seemed ready to throw a punch. She couldn’t say Raiden’s answer pleased her any more.

“At any rate,” Raiden said. “I must return to Earthrealm. I can confirm this is the real Amulet, and I must assess the damage caused by Onaga.” He took the Amulet from her and stepped back. Before he disappeared again, he said, “Do you wish to join me, Princess? I’m sure Liu Kang would be glad to see you.”

She hesitated. Ordinarily, she would’ve been eager to see Liu and ensure he was all right. She could at least assure him she was. But her thoughts returned to what Shang Tsung had revealed about Liu, and her desire curdled as a mix of confusing emotions clashed within her.

Was it a lie? Should she confront him? Which Liu was even waiting for her in Earthrealm? The Fire God that allowed Tsung to wreck everything wasn’t the same Liu Kang that suffered on the Sea of Blood by her side, was he? Was it fair to hold him responsible for something his future self did?

“I …” she said. “N-no. If Onaga attacked the realms during our battle, Edenia may have suffered. I should tend to my affairs.”

“I understand,” he said. “We are all in a state of flux. To ease your mind, Liu is as well as could be expected. I’ll inform him you are as well.”

“Thank you, Lord Raiden.”

The Thunder God offered a humble bow and vanished with one last bolt of lightning. Although Kitana was relieved to hear Liu was alive, her feelings were conflicted. Even if it was for some greater good, he … or some version of him at least … apparently allowed her and their friends to suffer. Maybe Tsung was lying or stretching the truth, but if he wasn’t …

Sooner or later, she would need to talk to him about it, though she couldn’t imagine how she’d begin to explain it.

“I suppose this is where we part ways, highness.”

She looked at Scorpion, and in a strange way, was almost sorry to see him go. “What will you do now?”

“First,” he said. “I’m going to return Sareena to the Lin Kuei. Sub-Zero should know what happened. I think … she would probably wish to be buried there.” He sighed. “Beyond that, I cannot say. My vengeance is complete. But my wife and son …”

He trailed off. He hadn’t been specific about what he encountered in Onaga’s pyramid, but she suspected it involved his family. “If they’re out there,” she said. “I hope you find them. I hope you find peace, Hanzo Hasashi of Earthrealm.”

His eyes met hers, and he nodded. “May you find the peace you seek as well, Kitana of Edenia.”

They shook hands and gave one another a parting bow. Scorpion then picked up Sareena and disappeared in a burst of flames. The fire cleared as quickly as it appeared, leaving Kitana alone outside Bo’ Rai Cho’s home.

She closed her eyes and took a breath, savoring the calm while she could. It had only been an excuse, but thinking about it, she really did need to return home. Who knew what Onaga’s last attack could’ve meant for Edenia? Even if the damage wasn’t severe, her father was dead and her mother was likely gone, too. The threat of the Dragon King may have passed, but there was still work to be done.

“So that’s it then? It’s finished?”

She turned to find Mileena emerge from around the side of Bo’ Rai Cho’s cottage. “You’re still here?” she asked. “I thought you ran off as soon as Raiden appeared.”

“I was tempted,” she replied. “But I figured I should at least wait to make sure Onaga was gone for good.”

She approached, and the two stared at one another in silence. Kitana sensed the anxiousness in her sister and knew she was wondering the same thing. Mileena did promise they would settle things between them when this was over.

“What happens now?”

Mileena looked at her with a cocked eyebrow but then shook her head. “Relax,” she said. “I want to fight you at your best. Right now, neither of us are in peak condition.”

“True,” she said. “Where will you go?”

“Well, first,” Mileena said, adjusting her mask. “I intend to hunt down D’Vorah and get my payback. I do owe her a little something.”

“I wonder if that still technically even happened. What with reality and time being written so much.”

“I remember it. So as far as I’m concerned: it happened.” She sighed and ran her fingers though her hair. “Once that’s done, and I’m good and ready, I intend to find you, and we are going to have our rematch.”

“I see.”

“Don’t think this mess changed anything, Kitana. When I come, you better be ready to fight. Because I won’t hold back.”

“I would expect nothing less.”

Mileena hesitated, unsettled by how calm she appeared. As odd as it seemed, Kitana actually didn’t feel that concerned. Perhaps due to what they’d been through, despite Mileena’s threats, she saw no danger in her sister’s challenge. For some reason, it didn’t seem as demanding as it should. It almost felt like a game now.

“Yes, well,” Mileena said, shifting her weight. “I’ll be going. Be prepared, sister. I … I will return.”

Kitana nodded. As she watched her sister leave, she almost felt sorry to part ways with her, too. She looked back on the past few days they spent together—culminating in their battle with Shao Kahn—and wondered if things hadn’t changed between them after all.

“Mileena,” she called out. “It … it was nice having you as a sister. Even if it was just a dream.”

Her sister stared at her, and Mileena’s normally hateful and suspicious eyes softened. For a moment, she looked like she wanted to say something. She then huffed—though it might have been a chuckle—and shook her head.

“You are _so_ annoying, Kitana.”

* * *

Scorpion told Sub-Zero of everything that happened. Kuai Liang was saddened to learn of Sareena’s death, but also proud of her. He offered to let him stay and rest, but Scorpion declined. By the look of it, the Lin Kuei had enough troubles thanks to Onaga, and he had his own affairs to see to.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t much of a home left for Scorpion. The Fire Gardens were in disarray, and his house in shambles. Trees were overturned and stone shrines shattered. The pond looked tainted and had taken a sickly greenish hue. His windows were broken, and the door kicked in, turning his home into a derelict shadow of itself.

At first, he thought it the result of the tampering and unraveling of reality. Maybe Onaga turned it into an abandoned ruin, as if no one lived there for years. But upon looking inside, he found the furniture shattered and the walls smeared with an ink-like puss that emitted a foul odor. Someone or something vandalized his home.

It was a sorry sight but difficult to rouse much anger over. The Dragon King was already dead, and he couldn’t remain there anyway. His life as Hanzo Hasashi was gone once again, and this time, he doubted he would ever regain it.

He removed his bandages and cleaned himself before finding fresh clothes. It seemed a strange thing for a dead man to consider such things, but he supposed he was in unfamiliar territory now. In the past, when whatever task he had was completed, he would return to the Netherealm where he seemed to exist in an almost frozen appearance.

For a long time, he imagined he would someday rest in peace. Whether it was avenging himself or his family and clan, or regaining his lost honor, or fulfilling some duty assigned from above … he once believed when he was truly finished, his soul would be allowed to rest in the afterlife.

But now, for the first time, he felt adrift and uncertain. With Quan Chi and Shinnok gone, it seemed he was free to roam where he pleased. A spectre among the living—unbound by their rules and his quest for vengeance. It was liberating … but also disconcerting to have no clear path before him.

He heard floorboards creek nearby and drew his kunai. Standing at the doorway was a familiar face, but in an unfamiliar form. It was his apprentice, Takeda, but the boy appeared older. His Shirai Ryu garb replaced with an armored bodysuit of gray and black with yellow lining.

He wasn’t alone. With him was an older man wearing similar clothing, but with red lining rather than yellow. He was bearded, wearing a red blindfold over his eyes, and held in his hand a katana that emitted a slight blue glow.

“Hanzo _-san_ ,” the blind man said. “I know you’re here.”

Scorpion emerged from the shadows and greeted them with a bow. “Kenshi _-san_ ,” he said. “Takeda _-san_. I’m pleased to see you two well … though not as I remember.”

“I could say the same, my friend,” said Kenshi, sheathing his sword. “I may be blind again, but I can tell recent events have changed you, too.”

“Grandmaster,” Takeda said. “You … you’ve become a spectre again …”

“Long story. And I’m sure you have one of your own.”

Takeda seemed troubled—unwilling to even look him in the eye. He suspected it was due to his reversion into a spectre, but he saw shame in the young man’s eyes. More had occurred in his absence than he knew.

“What of our clan?” he asked. “How goes the Shirai Ryu?”

“It was as you feared,” Takeda said, keeping his eyes on the floor. “We were attacked.”

“By whom?”

“I don’t know. They appeared to be Lin Kuei, but there was … there was something wrong with them. They were clad all in black, and they didn’t seem human. They attacked from the shadows and were almost like …”

“Wraiths,” he finished, at last understanding who vandalized his home.

Onaga’s work, no doubt. Kuai Liang would never send his clan against them, but the old Lin Kuei—the clan of the old timeline that had been the Shirai Ryu’s ancient enemy—they had been remade just like their finest assassin had been. If Noob Saibot escaped the pyramid, he now has a clan of his own. Shades from the past sent to torment him and likely Sub-Zero as well.

“Thankfully,” said Kenshi. “Your fighters were prepared as you ordered. Once Takeda and I got there, we were able to turn the tide and force the wraiths into retreat.”

“How did you get caught up in this?”

“That’s a story in itself,” he said with a smirk. “To keep it brief, I found myself ambushed by the Red Dragon. When my blindness suddenly returned, I thought I was finished. Lucky for me, my son came to my aid. I thought it only fair I should return the favor and aid the Shirai Ryu.”

Scorpion nodded in thanks. Although it was his future self who was more familiar with the blind swordsman, he took comfort in finding even now he had allies.

“We should return to them,” he said. “Would you join us, Kenshi _-san_?”

“You know I’ve never been one for joining clans,” Kenshi replied. “But I’ll stick around for now. I would at least like to know what the hell happened.”

He returned to his room to gather his things. Catching a glimpse of himself in a broken mirror, he wondered if the Shirai Ryu would accept a dead man as their leader. Maybe not, but that didn’t mean there was no place for him. He could still serve his clan even in this form. A spectre he may be once again, but there was still purpose. Meaning beyond his own personal quests for revenge and honor.

Behind him Takeda entered the room, still looking troubled. “Grandmaster, I …” He frowned and shook his head before kneeling. “I failed you. You entrusted me with your wife and son, and I … I don’t understand what happened. They … they just disappeared, and I—”

“You have nothing to apologize for, Takeda,” he said. “What happened was beyond anyone’s control.” He stood him up and patted him on the shoulder. “I’ll explain everything when we get back to the Shirai Ryu. My wife and son … they …”

He trailed off when it saw it on the bed: a single red rose. He hesitated and wondered if it had been there all along and he didn’t notice? Was it left behind when he separated from Harumi the other day? Or could she have …?

“Grandmaster?”

“It’s nothing. Come. Let’s get going.”

As Takeda left, Scorpion picked up the rose and stared at it. It appeared fresh and smelled sweet—like his beloved Kana. His son was alive in Onaga’s pyramid, and he said they would meet again.

_But not yet_.

He attached the rose to his belt and joined Kenshi and Takeda. He left his former home and set out into a new world he wasn’t certain he was prepared for. Hanzo Hasashi was gone. But Scorpion could begin anew. He could make a new life. A good life.

_Good enough_.

* * *

As Kitana feared, there wasn’t an Edenia to return to. 

It didn’t take long before she caught word spreading throughout Outworld that Edenia was once again merged with the realm. When she did eventually reunite with her people—somewhere in the eastern badlands—what she found was less a nation and more a disorganized camp of refugees with no idea as to how or why they’d gotten there. 

Oddly, she found it hard to feel too distressed. She supposed she was still emotionally drained from her ordeal in Onaga’s pyramid, but there had been a part of her from the start that knew she probably wouldn’t get through the battle with Edenia intact. No victory comes without a price.

What upset her more than anything was the state of her people. She saw few hurt or dying, thankfully, but fear and confusion was evident. The merger had left people without homes and families separated, and everyone was understandably shocked and outraged. It pained her to see so many innocent lives upheaved. These people had nothing to do with the Dragon King, yet they suffered his wrath all the same.

She managed to get by unnoticed for the most part. As concerned as she was for her people’s plight—as compelled as she felt to offer comfort and leadership—she knew if she revealed herself, she’d only get swarmed. She needed answers, and as she made her way through the crowds, she could only discern there was an attack from an unknown foe and chaos followed. 

She reached what was left of the Royal Palace and the sight of it dispirited her. It wasn’t in shambles or even that damaged, but it had lost its luster—as if the transfer to Outworld drained it of life. Its shining ivory towers seemed dimmer, and the palace appeared older and more like a relic that had been left abandoned for decades.

The guards scattered about the gate and front courtyard looked equally drained of life. Many were wounded, and they sat about looking exhausted and lost. She was halfway through the courtyard unnoticed before she heard a voice call out: “Princess Kitana? The Princess lives!”

Guards and soldiers gathered around, and their excitement surprised her. As if her mere presence brought some life and hope to them. It wasn’t something she was used to—even during her brief reign as Kahn.

“Yes,” she said. “I’m sorry I was away. I was … it’s a long story.” 

“Thank the gods you’ve returned, my lady,” said the Captain of the guards. “You wouldn’t believe the horrors we’ve witnessed.” 

“You’d be surprised,” she said. “Where is Jade? Is she okay? I must speak with her.”

She was led to a balcony on the back of the palace. Jade sat slumped over the stone railing. It was an image Kitana was all too familiar with—the pose and posture of someone overwhelmed and weary who just wanted to be left alone. It was a pose she had taken plenty of times in her life.

The view, that had been a vast, shining ocean in Edenia, was now a dismal sea with jagged mountains visible on the other side. The familiar Outworld sky, with its shades of purple and orange, was dim and dreary as the sun sank to the horizon. Compared to the glory that had been their home realm, she understood the cruelty of Onaga’s punishment.

Once the guards left them, she worked up the nerve to speak—which proved difficult. “Hello, Jade.”

She turned to her, and evidence of battle was on her face. Bruises and cuts, but more than anything, she looked like she hadn’t slept in days. She stood up, looking Kitana up and down, and it was hard to tell if she was relieved or angered to see her friend. “You’re back.”

Kitana shifted her weight and felt uncomfortable. She remembered the last time they spoke—the desperation in Jade’s eyes as she pleaded with her to just let it go and accept the world that had been made for them. She may have helped save the realms from the Dragon King, but had she cost her people … her best friend … their joy?

“What happened here?”

“We were attacked by the Dragon King’s Undefeatable Army,” she said. “I’m not sure how I know that’s what they were, but I do. I rallied our troops to hold them off, but we were caught off guard and they just kept coming.

“I didn’t even realize we were remerging with Outworld until it already started,” she continued. “At first, I thought the sky was a storm or something else. But then the horizon changed. A mountain range I recognized formed in the distance—like it materialized out of thin air. That’s when I knew our attackers weren’t coming from nowhere. Our home had become part of Outworld again.”

Her tone was blunt. Almost harsh. Was she simply tired? Or angry? “Jade, I’m so sorry.”

“Sorry?” she repeated. “For what? Apparently, you were right all along.”

“That doesn’t make it okay. I … Jade, I understand why you thought I should’ve just let it go. You wanted our home and your family and … and you were right to. But I had to find out what was behind it. I needed to …” She bit her lip and shook her head. “I didn’t want this. I swear to you, if I could’ve prevented this from happening, I would have.”

She felt Jade’s piercing green eyes on her. Her friend was silent and unreadable, and she feared her words fell on deaf ears.

She closed her eyes and took a breath. “I understand if you hate me now,” she said. “You have every right to—”

“Oh, _shut up_! I don’t hate you, you pain in my ass!”

Jade groaned and hugged her. Relief came to her as if a great weight melted off her shoulders. She hugged her back and was grateful that as much had gone wrong, at the least, she still had her friend with her.

“I know you, Kitana. I know you would never have let this happen if you could’ve stopped it.” She stepped away and smiled. “Besides … any being that would respond to your resistance by punishing an entire realm is no better than Shao Kahn.” The smile faded, and longing came to her eyes. “I just … I wanted it so much. I don’t think I realized how much until it was right in front of me.”

“Surely, there’s still something here? We may be merged with Outworld again, but you can’t have lost everything? What of Kotal?”

“Funny you should mention him,” she said. “The battle with the Dragon King’s army was not in our favor. I thought we were done for. But in our hour of need … like a miracle … it was Kotal and his Osh-Tekk who aided us.”

Kitana smiled. Not just to learn they still had allies even now, but realizing if Onaga’s wrath brought his army upon them, it was Sareena’s sacrifice that summoned Kotal Kahn’s aid. “Where is he now?”

“He had to leave after the battle,” she said. “Even aside from Edenia merging with Outworld again, there’s chaos all over the realm.”

Jade fell silent, and a pain expression formed on her face. She turned away, her breath shaky, and stood at the railing with her head hung low.

“Jade? What’s wrong?”

“I …” she said. “When things settled down and everyone’s memories started returning, I talked to my parents. I … I asked them …” She paused, struggling to say the words. “I asked them why they offered me to Shao Kahn. I asked them why they gave me up to him.”

She shuddered and tried to finish, but whatever she had to say was drowned in her weeping. Kitana didn’t need to hear the rest. She held her friend close and let her cry. She caressed Jade’s hair and gently rocked her, understanding her pain all too well.

“You’re my family, Jade,” she said. “I don’t deserve you, but I need you in my life. And I swear, I will always be there for you when you need me. I love you.”

Jade gripped her in a tight hug and continued sobbing. She took comfort in knowing, for all that had been changed and rewritten due to Raiden and Kronika and Onaga, after the losses and betrayals she suffered … Jade remained her true friend.

Jade finally calmed and nodded. “What now?” she asked, wiping her tears away. “What even happened? What was the cause of all this?”

“I’ll tell you everything,” Kitana replied. “As for what comes next …”

She looked to the horizon and wondered. Shao Kahn and the greatest threats were dead, but there was much work to be done. She supposed, with her parents gone, it was up to her to take the leadership of Edenia. There was a time, and not long ago, she would’ve felt obligated to take charge and devote all her energy to setting things as they should be.

But she reflected on all she’d been through recently. Her successes and failures. She had suffered betrayals … but also found unexpected allies in the likes of Scorpion and Sareena. And even Mileena. Perhaps it was time she reconsidered the things she took for granted? She remembered Scorpion suggested she seek other ways of undoing the horrors of Shao Kahn.

Maybe better ways?

“… I don’t know,” she said. “We’ll tend to our people. We’ll see to it they’re made safe. But beyond that …”

She looked at Jade and smiled. It was a strange new world out there, and she couldn’t even guess what lay ahead. There would be hardship and pain, but there was still hope. She might never find the perfect world she dreamed of, but that didn’t need to be a bad thing. She could still build something good and true.

“I guess we’ll just see.”

**End of Chapter XXI**


	22. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Those left behind...

Xue Tianshi watched her brother mold the ice with care. He guided the beam emitted from his palms to form an elegant shape that resembled an altar with a domed top. He lined the foundation with spires like columns and completed the tomb with a final flourish that made it seem like a crystal shrine sparkling amidst the frozen land.

Sareena looked peaceful within tomb he forged for her. Her face was serene, her hands folded over her stomach, and she seemed to float in the ice that would preserve her so long as Arctika remained frozen.

Kuai Liang chose to bury her atop a narrow peak only accessible through the Lin Kuei Temple. The crevice was deep enough to stay out of the sun no matter the time of day, yet allowed a majestic view of the land beyond—mountains and ravines with a frozen river that stretched into the far distance where the ocean was barely visible through the soft mist.

Xue asked her brother why he chose this spot to lay Sareena to rest, as opposed to the lower catacombs of the temple, and he said he wanted her above ground in the open air. “She should be outside. Not in the dark.”

With his task finished, he knelt before the shrine and bowed his head. She looked upon Sareena and wished she could’ve had a chance to know her. She didn’t know what the relationship was between her brother and the demon, but her death clearly grieved him. Yet another blow to come after losing so much already.

“What was she like?” she asked.

“She was kind. Loyal. She had this way about her …” He paused. “She always seemed to think she needed to prove herself. That she was worthy of good things. I was often told to be wary because of what she was, but I always believed there was good in her. I hoped she would get a chance to surprise us all.”

“I suppose she did.”

Sub-Zero stood up, but his head remained low. His eyes were shut, and she saw pain etched on his face. “It shouldn’t have been her,” he said. “She should never have put in that position. I let her down. I failed her.”

“No, you didn’t,” she said. “How could anyone have been prepared for what the Dragon King did? Scorpion said she fought bravely and without hesitation. And her sacrifice may have saved countless lives.” She turned his head to look him in the eye. “Don’t dishonor that by making her into a victim.”

The pain in his eyes softened, and he offered a solemn nod. He placed his hand on the ice and said, “It’s a strange thing. The old Lin Kuei marked me for death. Our brother becomes Noob Saibot. Smoke … Frost … of all beings and allies, it was the demon who proved the most loyal and true.” He sighed and turned to her. “At least I have you now, Xue.”

“Such as I am,” she said with a smirk. “It’s surreal to think the life and memories I know are just a dream formed by Onaga’s actions. That the true me … from some forgotten timeline … was likely killed long ago. Did you remember me at all? Did Bi-Han? Was Xue Tianshi even my name?”

“That makes no difference to me,” he said, placing his hands on her shoulders. “You are my sister, here and now. And regardless of the means, I am grateful to have you.”

She smiled but winced as pain stabbed at her hand.

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

She wished she didn’t have to show him. She removed her glove and wristband to reveal the black mark in her left hand. It looked like a stain had formed below her knuckle and the surrounding veins were discolored and sickly, as if from an infection. It seemed to be spreading into her wrist.

“I didn’t want to trouble you,” she said. “But I was there when … when Bi-Han turned into that thing Saibot. He attacked me before he left the temple. He did something to my hand. I had hoped it was just a wound, but … it’s getting worse.”

Sub-Zero inspected her hand, and she was saddened to see the growing concern in his eyes. Her brother had been through enough. But she saw something else kindle there as well:

Anger and determination.

“No,” he said. “No, I will not allow this.”

“I’m sorry, Kuai Liang. I—”

“No. No more,” he interrupted. “Listen, this is what we’re going to do: we are going to find Smoke and help him. And we are going to find out what Noob Saibot did to you and cure it. I will _not_ lose anyone else.”

Xue saw the steel in his eyes and heard it in his voice. She almost spoke, more on reflex than anything to actually say, but simply nodded. They lost their brother again. His apprentice was beyond help. The Tekunin left the Lin Kuei in shambles. Sareena was gone. She understood her brother would not abide losing more of his loved ones.

“Then I guess we should go,” she said, putting her glove and wristband back on. “After you, Sub-Zero.”

He nodded and offered a final bow before Sareena’s tomb. He then turned to leave, but stopped and asked, “By the way … seeing as you’re Lin Kuei now, do you want a codename of your own?”

Xue Tianshi put her mask on and thought it over. “I suppose ‘Snow’ with suffice.”

And with that, Sub-Zero and Snow began their quest.

* * *

It didn’t make sense. She shouldn’t be here.

Harumi Hasashi gazed out upon the vast Netherealm wasteland—a barren, desolate plain lit by a dim golden sun that seemed to be dying. She felt its harsh wind flow through her unkempt hair, smelled the brimstone and ash in the air, and tried to understand what went wrong.

Her son had been right there. She felt his hand in hers. He was alive, and he said he would take her to a better place. He would bring her peace. And for a brief moment, she almost saw it. Through the blinding white light, she saw the paradise waiting on the other side. She felt its warmth and comfort.

But something happened. Her grip was torn away from him, and she remembered falling. What followed was a blur, but now she was in this hellish land. Still the undead creature Quan Chi had turned her into, and with no idea how she got there or how to escape.

She sank to her knees and felt a volatile mix of despair and anger fester. She wanted to scream and lash out. She wanted someone to blame and make them pay. She looked at her hands—still wearing clawed gloves—and hated what she’d become. She wanted her son. She wanted her husband. It wasn’t fair this should be her fate.

Footsteps approached. Behind her were two creatures that didn’t appear to be human. Demonic entities with gray skin and visible veins, they hissed and snarled in a barbaric language she didn’t understand. Natives of the Netherealm, no doubt, but she wasn’t sure if they meant her harm or were merely curious.

One of the oni drew an axe and shouted at her. The other revealed a barbed whip that it snapped on the ground in an attempt to intimidate her. She still didn’t understand what they were saying, but their intentions were clear. Whether they were enforcers of the realm or simply predators on the hunt, the oni were a threat.

Harumi moved like the wind. She didn’t think she could fly, but even she wasn’t sure if her feet touched the ground as she glided about. She dismantled the first oni with a series of slashes—first to his legs, then moving her way up to his chest. When it fell to its knees, blank yellow eyes wide and confused, she plunged her claws into the sides of its face, crisscrossing through its brain.

The other oni, the one with the whip, was startled and backed away. It growled and snapped at her, but Harumi evaded the lash and leveled the creature with a running knee to its chin. Roaring, she drove her claws into its chest and tore its heart out. In the brief moment before the oni collapsed, she held its heart up and grinned.

Though her attackers were dead, Harumi felt on the verge of frenzy. She wanted more. She wanted a legion of enemies to come at her so she could cut them down one by one. She wanted to drown the world in an ocean of her pain and rage … an unending tempest of fury that would consume everything and everyone …

“No …” she said. “No, that’s not who I am.”

A chill went through her as she tried to push the rage aside and focus. She was Harumi Hasashi—wife and mother. She was neither a warrior, nor a killer. Combat was her husband’s domain, and she had been content to leave it to him … until his way of life found its way to her and their son.

_Is this what it was like for you, Hanzo?_ she wondered. _Trapped with nothing but your anger?_

That was what Quan Chi wanted. That was why he turned her into what she was, and she couldn’t allow herself to go down that path. Now while her son still lived, for Satoshi _was_ alive somewhere. She felt it in her heart, and she needed to find him. If Hanzo could endure the Netherealm and eventually escape, she could as well.

Harumi Hasashi would be reunited with her family and earn her rest. And woe to anyone or anything that dared stand in her way.

* * *

Sindel scowled and winced when she saw her reflection in the mirror. Her lip was split, and a dull bruise formed around her right eye. She turned away from the mirror with a hiss and paced around the filthy room in frustration.

She still wasn’t sure what happened or even how she wound up in that damned pyramid. The pretender she was fighting had the upper hand—only for the moment, for Sindel was absolutely going to turn the tide of their battle—when they were both caught in a blinding white light. The next thing she knew, she was wandering the Outworld streets in a daze.

She took shelter in an abandoned shop that stunk of age and dust. She needed rest—not that the pretender was actually winning; she had everything under control—but it sickened her that she should be reduced to hiding in some peasant’s dive. She was a Queen and Empress, now thrown into a world and timeline she didn’t understand. Robbed of her throne or retainers … beaten by some pathetic mirror image of …

_I was not losing that fight!_

After kicking some of the trash littering the floor and cursing, she placed her hands on her hips and took a breath. It was fine, she told herself. A minor setback she would easily overcome. The important thing was she still lived. She would recover her strength, learn what she needed, and reclaim that which was rightfully hers.

And as for Kitana … assuming her insolent child also lived … she was not finished with her. She would find her daughter and educate her in the ways of pain and suffering to such an extent that her humiliation on the Sea of Blood would seem but a dream. And this time, there would be no ridiculous alternate versions of herself to …

Dizziness came to Sindel. Throbbing pain formed in the center of her head so bad her knees buckled. She groaned, which gradually turned into a scream. Her vision blurred, and a horrific tearing feeling started in her head and traveled down her spine, as if she was splitting in two …

… …

…

Sindel stood up, disoriented and her breathing heavy. She looked around and didn’t recognize where she was. The last thing she remembered was fighting a demented version of herself in Onaga’s pyramid before being engulfed in a strange light.

She went to the nearby mirror and found her familiar blank eyes staring back at her. The black streak remained in her white hair, and she retained her ghostly appearance—as it had been since Shao Kahn resurrected her. A small price to pay to be reunited with her daughter, she supposed. She wasn’t sure what happened, but it seemed she lived still.

Peculiar circumstances, but at least now she could be with Kitana again. Rubbing her eyes, she went to the door hoping to learn where she was, though judging by the dilapidated room, she guessed Outworld. Once she got her bearings she could—

_And what is this nonsense?_

The voice was clear. She turned sharply, certain there was someone in there with her. When she found nothing but an empty shop filled with dust and cobwebs, she assumed it was nothing.

_Don’t ignore me! What is this?! What’s happening?!_

Her blood ran cold. Not just because she was clearly hearing a voice in her head, but that the voice was her own. Reluctantly, she returned to the mirror and gazed upon her reflection again. It was indeed her face, but the black streak was gone, and hazel eyes glared at her with hate and venom.

“I don’t understand,” she said.

_That makes two of us_ , replied her reflection. _I had hoped to be rid of you_.

Sindel’s hand went to her heart as a terrible realization hit her. Somehow, for whatever reason, she and the evil version of herself had combined. Two minds—or perhaps even two separate souls—now occupied the same body.

“No,” she said. “No, no, no … not this …”

_I’m no happier than you are_ , the other Sindel said. _It seems fate has played a foul joke on the both of us_.

Despair came to her as she sank to her knees. It wasn’t fair. She had been lost and adrift since Armageddon, seemingly forgotten and replaced by a mockery of everything she was. And now, when she finally had a chance to reclaim her life and be rejoined with her daughter, her every step was to be haunted by her doppelganger like a shadow.

A glare of light caught her eye, and she saw lying on the floor a shard of glass. As she stared at it, a troubling thought came to her. She was in control now, yes, but what if her shadow regained control of her body? What havoc would be unleashed before she wrestled control back?

And what of Kitana? As long as the evil Sindel existed, her daughter would never be safe.

It was cruel fate, she thought as she picked up the piece of glass. Once, long ago, she took her own life in despair. It seemed the only choice then, but since her resurrection, Sindel always carried some guilt. She promised herself she would never leave her daughter again, but it seemed the only way to keep her safe now was suicide once more.

“I’m sorry, Kitana,” she said, holding the shard to her wrist. “I wish it didn’t come to this again …”

_Is that really your answer for everything?_ the other Sindel asked. _I see now why Kitana prefers you._

“Do not speak of her,” she hissed. “And I will gladly die before I allow you to hurt her again.”

_Are you sure you really want to do that?_

“You’re wasting your time trying to talk me out of this. When I die, you die with me, and Kitana will be safe.”

_Do we know that though?_

Sindel looked at the mirror, and her counterpart stared at her with cold eyes. She was certain she was bluffing, but what if she knew something she didn’t? “What do you mean?”

_We don’t really know what exactly happened to us, do we?_ her shadow replied. _Are we two minds in one body? Two beings sharing the same space? All we know is that reality itself has been bent for us to exist at the same time_.

“Or I’m just a madwoman talking to a voice in her head.”

_My point is: how do you know killing yourself will take me with you? For all you know, only you will die and leave me free to do as I wish_.

Sindel frowned and pressed the glass shard to her wrist. Her counterpart was only interested in saving her own skin, but doubt crept into her mind. Loathe as she was to admit it, the other Sindel was right about one thing: she didn’t know what she was dealing with.

Most likely, cutting her wrists would kill the both of them. But what if she was wrong? What if she really was the only thing between her shadow and Kitana? If may very well be a bluff, but was she willing to take that chance?

Her hand trembled as a thin stream of blood dripped from her wrist. She told herself to cut—that her shadow’s efforts were just to save herself. She knew what her counterpart could do—had already done—to her daughter. She couldn’t chance subjecting Kitana to that kind of pain and torture again.

But there was more than the doubt her shadow created. She had another reason to wish to live. In the end, gods forgive her, she wanted to see her girl again.

“Damn you,” she said, throwing the glass aside.

_Lovely. I guess we’re roommates after all_.

Sindel glared at the mirror, looking her evil counterpart in the eye. “I won’t kill myself,” she said. “Not this time. I will find a way to rid myself of you. However long it takes … whatever I must do… I will be free of you. And I swear to you: as long as there is strength in me, you will not touch my daughter again.”

The evil Sindel stared back, a slight smirk on her lips. _Know this_ , she said. _You may have control now, but you will tire. You’ll weaken. And when you do_ … _when I’m ready_ … _I’ll take back control of_ my _body_. _And I will make you sure you watch as I deal with_ my _daughter. I will break her down, bit by bit, until her only escape will be to follow your cowardly example and take her own life_.

She went quiet, and Sindel’s true reflection returned to her in the mirror. Resting, no doubt, and waiting for her time to wrench control of their body away. A chill went through Sindel’s blood, knowing the danger she now carried in her mind. Or even soul.

She left the shop to begin her quest. Pain came to her heart as she understood, until she found a way to get rid of her shadow, she couldn’t risk going to Kitana again. Kitana mustn’t even know she still lived. No one could.

Sindel prayed as she began her lonely journey. She prayed there would be a way to be free of her evil counterpart. She prayed for the strength to hold her at bay. And she prayed she would one day be reunited with her daughter.

“I won’t you fail you again, Kitana.

“… I hope.”

* * *

“What troubles you, my lord?”

The courtyard had become a dreary place. The merger with Outworld had reduced the once lush trees to skeletal twigs shedding dried, brown leaves. The statues that lined the outer edge—figures depicting his family’s great ancestors—looked older and more decrepit, almost like ghosts. The sky above, a sickly mix of purple hues, was foreign and strange. The very air had a rancidness to it.

“Aside from the obvious?”

Kobalt hung his head and sighed without even looking at her. Despite the chaos that had consumed their home, he retained an elegant and regal appearance befitting an Edenian highborn. Clad in his blue and white nobleman’s garb, his black hair was slicked back and neatly groomed. His face, tanned to a healthy dark brown, was clean-shaved and pristine—the face of a man who knew little hardship in his long life.

“I keep thinking of my sister,” he said. “She should be here now. With us.”

“I did find it odd she wasn’t here,” she said. “Your parents didn’t mention her.”

He looked toward the second floor of his family’s home, where his mother and father’s chamber windows were dark with the curtains drawn. He wondered what they were thinking now. Merging with Outworld had been stressful enough. Whatever happened between them and his sister almost seemed a breaking point.

“Something is wrong,” he said. “After the battle and merger, my parents and sister had an argument. I don’t know what it was about. I only know that by the end they were screaming at each other.” He turned to her. “Jade hasn’t been back since.”

She nodded, though her face was partially concealed by the hood she wore. Her brown cloak swayed in the chilled wind, and she spared a quick glance over her shoulder, as if to make sure no one was listening.

“These are dark days,” she said. “We’re all stressed. I’m sure whatever it was will mend in time.”

Her words were soothing, but he sensed something in her tone. “You don’t sound so certain of that.”

“I would not speak ill of your sister, my lord.”

“No,” he said. “Speak. I want to understand.”

“I realize this will be difficult for you to understand, Kobalt, but the truth is you sister is not what you think. Nor is our Princess. Though they are Edenian by blood, they are not … true Edenians as you and I are.”

He frowned but couldn’t deny seeing it himself. He did find it odd Jade should have such a liking for a foreigner like Kotal Kahn. And though the days before the attack and merger were happy and peaceful, he did sometimes sense something amiss with his sister. Something intangible that separated her from himself and his parents.

Even Princess Kitana troubled him at times, and he would lie if he said he wasn’t suspicious of her strange disappearance just before they were attacked. Now she returns just as mysteriously with no word yet of the King or Queen or even her own sister.

“There is something,” he said. “Something … foul. I can’t place it, but I feel it in my heart.”

“Trust your instincts, Kobalt,” she said. “Our Princess has many secrets. Darkness surrounds her and taints all it touches.”

“Even Jade?”

She sighed and hung her head. “You ask why Jade isn’t here,” she said. “You ask why she would shun you and her parents. Though it pains me to say it, I’m afraid the truth of the matter is Jade will always choose Kitana over all else. Her country … her kin … she will always pick her princess.” She lowered her hood and looked at him. “I know better than most.”

A chill went through him upon seeing her eerie white eyes. “What happened to you?”

“That, my lord, is another long, sad story. Suffice to say, I know what it is to be betrayed by our Jade.”

Anger brewed in Kobalt’s heart. Jade may be his kin, but he didn’t approve of her behavior. Their family was a great Edenian legacy. The gems of nobility. Loyalty to the crown was one thing, but blood was more important—especially if the one wearing the crown proved unworthy.

“I pray we’re wrong,” he said. “But if Princess Kitana is … if she should be proven unfit to lead our people, she must step aside. And if I must be the one to do it, then so be it.”

“And what of Jade?”

“She has a choice to make: to stand with Kitana or her own blood. If she will only ever side with the Princess, as you say, then I have no sister.” He paused, letting his words sink in. A brief feeling of hesitation came, but upon thinking of Jade and their parents shouting at one another—the angry tears in their mother’s eyes—he felt his resolve. “Come. We have work to do.”

He left the courtyard. Behind him, Tanya smiled.

“I am at my lord’s service.”

* * *

Pain stung Khameleon’s arm. Hanging in the sling tied over her shoulder, it was mending well enough. But every so often, she forgot herself and overextended or tried to use it and was reminded of her battle with Shang Tsung.

Cringing, she sank to one knee and waited for the flare to pass. One of her Saurian brethren, a youth name Niltysh, stopped to attend her. “You mussstn’t overwork yourself,” he said. “You are ssstill injured.”

“Thank you,” she replied. “I’m fine. I jussst need a moment.”

He nodded and resumed packing. Nearby, the remainder of their people marched into the swirling portal that would take them to Zaterra where more of their kind were waiting. Khameleon was eager to be done with it. Though there was no evident threat at the moment, she didn’t wish to linger.

“My lady,” said Niltysh. “Are you sure we shouldn’t ssstay? Would the Dragon King not have—”

“The Dragon King meansss nothing,” she interrupted. “He may have revived our people. He may have ressstored our home, and for that we owed him our ssservice. But make no mistake: he was another Shao Kahn and the realmsss are no poorer without him. I’ve no need for vengeance or grudgesss. Once we’re home, I would have no dealingsss with the humans again.”

“Underssstood,” he replied. “But what of Lord Syzoth?”

She hesitated. Since his death, Reptile was becoming hailed among their revived people as a hero and martyr. Though she kept it to herself, there was no denying she had conflicted feelings. They didn’t know the Reptile she did—the creature dutiful to Shao Kahn even as their people were driven to extinction. Who betrayed her when she tried to turn him against his Emperor.

But, in the end, he died to save her life. He tried to do right by her. If he had lived, perhaps he could’ve been a better Saurian than the one she knew? Was it fair to take her people’s hero away from them? And did she not still care for him, even after everything?

“Syzoth was …” she said. “… complicated. He didn’t always make the bessst choice. He made many missstakes. But …” She looked at Niltysh and forced a light smiled. “He alwaysss wanted what was best for usss. We will honor him.”

Niltysh nodded and left her. She reached into the pouch she wore attached to her belt and removed the smooth oval object she kept within. She supposed she would mourn Reptile after all, despite all his flaws and mistakes. But, gazing upon the egg in her hand, she felt hope for the future—maybe for the first time in ages.

_Your hatchling will rise where you fell, Syzoth_ , she thought. _Stand where you knelt and be the Saurian you could’ve been_. _I hope you find peace in that, wherever you are now_.

Placing the egg back into the pouch, she got to her feet and approached the portal where only Niltysh and a handful of her kind waited. “Is this everyone?”

“Yesss.”

Niltysh and the last Saurians went through the portal. She took one last look back at Outworld and felt no regret leaving it behind, even if it was the only home she knew her entire life. With luck, she prayed, she and her people would be forgotten and left alone once the gateway was closed. The danger she smelled in the air and felt in her blood wasn’t her concern.

Khameleon entered the portal and left the humans to their fate.

* * *

Darkness was nothing new to Chow Kang. Not for a long time now. He’d come to prefer it in fact. Where others feared the dark and believed it obscured and deceived, he found enlightenment and clarity in the black.

He sat meditating deep in the woods. His stringy, white hair stood and was receding despite being younger than his brother. His shirtless torso revealed a map of scars and a thin, wiry physique as if his muscles were taut wires. His eyes, es ever, were a scarred ruin, and the vacant, placid smile never left his face.

He wasn’t always this way. There was a time when he was Liu Kang’s humble brother—young, healthy, and even handsome. The other orphan whose place was to watch and support the destined Chosen One on his path to defend Earthrealm from the forces that would threaten her.

Though they both trained as fighters, Liu had been the spiritual one—which was perhaps why he was better suited to combat the evils of Outworld and beyond. Chow, on the other hand, was the thoughtful and curious—more interested in books and study. Liu was the one who would face evil head on. Chow would be the one who’d try to understand it.

Looking back, it seemed disgustingly obvious he was doomed to an early grave following that path. How easily would it have been for him to be the useless sidekick like Kung Lao or that Cage imbecile from America? Or be murdered by his brother’s enemies as a message? Maybe it wasn’t envy that led him astray after all? Perhaps he sensed there was nothing for him standing by Liu’s side.

Chow began his own quest in search of his own destiny. Most assumed he made an ill-conceived attempt to challenge Shang Tsung only to perish. But in truth he sought deeper secrets. Knowledge beyond even the Elder Gods—hoping there might be some answer. Some hidden truth to Mortal Kombat and the cruel fates that governed their lives that would make sense of the eons of blood and suffering.

His path took him on dark routes few dared to tread. He couldn’t say he found the answers he was looking for, but he did find … something. Things in the dark that watched and waited, biding their time. Things drawn to the misery and grief that revolved around Mortal Kombat and the damned souls ensnared within.

To understand them and what they craved was to know pain. And for many years, while his brother and his friends fought and died and lived to fight again, Chow existed in his own personal hell. He tore out his own eyes, but the rest was them. He needed to be broken down before he could be reborn.

And now, at last, he was ready. His masters hungered, and they were ready to feast. Now it was Chow’s time to fulfill his purpose as their Champion and herald. To prepare the realms for their arrival.

The scent of wine came to him, and he smiled. The drunken oaf had come as expected. His heavy footsteps trudged down the dirt path, on his way to the Shaolin Temple or some other errand. It didn’t matter. Bo’ Rai Cho would be the first sacrifice.

_It’s all for you, brother_ , Chow thought. _I will take them all, one by one. Kung Lao_ … _the actor and his soldier bride_ … _Kai_ … _your precious Princess_ … _all of them. And when it is done, you will understand as I do_.

The world was broken. All that remained were the pieces to be consumed.

** End **


	23. Extras

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alternate ending, deleted scenes, trivia, and thanks for reading.

**Alternate Ending**

Kitana opened her eyes.

The bed was broken in and old, but comfortable enough. She lay in a bare chamber of cobblestone with few trappings and a small balcony. The smell of ash and smoke was in the air, which she assumed was due to the lit brazier in the corner, but the familiar purple sky let her know she was back in Outworld.

She tried to remember how she’d gotten here after the battle on Onaga’s pyramid, but her memory was a blur. She tried to sit up, and soreness wracked her body. The fighting must have taken a greater toll than she assumed.

“You’re awake, finally.”

Mileena was sitting beside her bed. Though still masked, she saw some cuts and fading bruises on her sister’s face. She flinched upon seeing her on reflex but quickly brushed it off. Even if they were still enemies when this was over, Mileena wasn’t a threat at the moment.

“What happened?” she asked. “How did we get here?”

“You’ve been out for two days,” Mileena said. “That final fight really did a number on you.”

She managed to sit up despite the pain in her sides and head. “Did we win? Is it … is it over?”

Mileena stared at her, her yellow eyes piercing and intense. For a moment, Kitana thought she would lunge at her and attack. “You’re really going to make me say it, aren’t you?”

“Say what?”

“Have it your way.” She took a breath and closed her eyes. “Yes, we won. And yes … we owe it all to you. Happy, you brat?”

Different emotions hit Kitana at once. Confusion that she was apparently the key to their victory. Exasperation that even now Mileena was resentful of her. But prevailing above all was relief. They’d saved the realms from Onaga’s madness. Suddenly, her aches and pains seemed to diminish and a great weight lifted from her shoulders.

“And, fine, I’ll even admit it,” Mileena added, crossing her arms and grumbling. “You impressed me.”

“Praise from you?!” she said, getting out of bed. “Am I still dreaming?”

“Don’t get used to it.”

She limped to the balcony and looked out over the Outworld landscape. The Wastelands lay just beyond the keep with the usual ruins and remains of battles recent and ancient. It seemed strange they should end up in Shao Kahn’s old fortress, but she supposed in the confusion they went wherever was convenient.

“What happened?” she asked. “How did we defeat the Dragon King?”

The view of the Wastelands was as she expected, but there was something about the horizon that troubled her. Instead of a range of mountains and valleys, she saw a series of towers made of glass and steel. Most appeared damaged, and some were on fire. It was an unusual sight for Outworld, yet somehow still familiar. She’d seen those buildings somewhere …

“What’s the Dragon King?” Mileena asked.

Kitana’s gaze drifted to the outer wall of the fortress, and her blood went cold upon seeing it was lined with heads on spikes. Freshly severed heads of various people … some she recognized. Meanwhile, Tarkatans, Shokan and soldiers marched outside under a familiar banner.

The door to her chamber opened, and a deep voice declared: “There she is! The Hero of Outworld!”

Shaking, she turned and saw him standing there—alive and as strong as ever, towering over all. Shao Kahn’s eyes burned beneath his skull helmet, but she saw pride written on his face. Beside him was her mother, watching her with sinister eyes and a pleased smirk of her own.

“My daughter!” Kahn said. “Who secured our victory by slaying Liu Kang in Mortal Kombat herself!”

“This is a great day, Kitana,” said Sindel. “At long last, Earthrealm is ours. And we owe it all to you.”

The world seemed to spin. Kitana’s strength left her, and she crumbled to her knees. Of course, she realized. It had all been a dream—Onaga, the Kamidogu … none of it was real. Even before that—the Sea of Blood, Kronika, learning the truth … it was all just a dream. Just a long, horrible dream.

She screamed. The nightmare was over, and she was back where she belonged. She was Shao Kahn’s daughter, and she had won her father his greatest victory. Earthrealm was theirs, and his reign would be eternal. She continued screaming.

Everything was as it should be. All was well.

She was home.

_Author Notes:  
_ _This was something that came to me when I was writing the scene in Chapter XIII when Kitana says she sometimes wishes she never found out the truth about her past. I thought it would be a messed up twist if it turned out Kitana’s “perfect world” wasn’t an Edenia that was never conquered by Shao Kahn, but one where she never turned on him.  
_ _But that wouldn’t fit with what goes on with the other characters and kind of make a mess of the story. I also already had her going through enough with Jerrod joining Seido and the evil Sindel returning to terrorize her_.

* * *

**Deleted Scenes**

“Sareena & Her Men”  
( _would’ve taken place in Chapter VI when Scorpion and Sareena stop to rest before running into Ermac_ )

“Who are you to Sub-Zero anyway?” he asked. “How did a demon of the Netherealm wind up an ally of the Lin Kuei?”

She adjusted herself, holding her stomach and wincing from the pain of moving. “It was Bi-Han, actually,” she said. “He’d ventured into the Netherealm to retrieve Shinnok’s Amulet. My sisters and I were tasked with preventing him from reaching Quan Chi. He defeated me, and …” She paused, and an almost wistful look came to her eyes. “He could’ve killed me, but he spared my life. When he fought Quan Chi, I—”

“Why you?”

“Excuse me?”

“Bi-Han spared your life,” he said. “ _Bi-Han_. Kuai Liang’s brother. The man who killed me.”

He didn’t mean that to sound as aggressive as it came out, but the suggestion the elder Sub-Zero was capable of mercy disturbed him. From what he knew of his one-time rival, Bi-Han had always been unapologetic when it came to death and murder—as cold as his code-name suggested.

But of all beings … of all opponents … it was the demon woman sent to kill him he showed mercy to?

The question wasn’t lost on Sareena, nor was Scorpion’s apparent outrage over it. “Y-yes,” she said. “I never understood why either. He just … he let me live.”

She shrugged, looking embarrassed and nervous. Scorpion stood up and paced about, angry but trying not to take it out on her. It was Kuai Liang’s capacity for mercy that earned his respect, but somehow learning Bi-Han was also capable—and simply ignored it—made him angrier.

And why Sareena? He allowed that she seemed to mean well, but he only came to see that when she saved his family. How could Bi-Han have known? Did she remind him of someone he knew? Even if he, for some reason, had feelings for her, why? After everything, was his hated enemy just a sucker for a pretty face?

“I’ve often wondered myself,” she said. “I learned more about him when I met Kuai Liang, and from what he’s told me, mercy wasn’t Bi-Han’s strongest attribute.” She sighed and adjusted herself again. “Maybe it’s just me, and I attract certain types of men? Quan Chi, Bi-Han, Reiko … that weird revenant with the breathing mask.”

“Kabal?” he asked. “Scars all over his body? Uses hook-swords?”

“Is that his name? I don’t know who he is. I was on a mission in the Netherealm and crossed paths with him, and he just started following me around. I think he’s in love with me. I just want him to leave me alone.”

Scorpion sat down again, scratching his hair. He was vaguely aware of the fighter known as Kabal—his breathing mask was hard to forget—but knew almost nothing of the man. He did have something of a reputation as an unpredictable wild man. Perhaps that included being infatuated with a lady demon?

Of course, though she didn’t say it outright, it seemed to him Sareena harbored feelings of her own for Kuai Liang, which was a peculiar match in itself. But he couldn’t judge, he supposed. He remembered there were some who thought he was a poor match for Harumi, but she loved him all the same.

_Author Notes:  
_ _I wanted to include a nod to Kabal’s MK11 ending. My head-canon is that he saw Sareena at some point in the Netherealm and instantly fell in love … but it’s completely one-sided and she has no idea who he even is. I also thought it might be fun to acknowledge that Scorpion would probably not be happy to learn Bi-Han was willing to show anyone mercy. I cut the scene because, though amusing, I thought it dragged and didn’t add much. I also thought it would be weird for Scorpion to acknowledge talking seemed to aggravate Sareena’s wounds just for him to spark a conversation_.

* * *

“Heights”  
( _would’ve been in Chapter XII when Kitana, Mileena and Ermac are using the elevator in the Sky Temple_ )

Mileena, too, was bruised and battered, but at the moment, the rickety lift seemed to worry her more than anything. She clung to the railing, her body stiff, and seemed to be making an effort not to look down or even around.

“Mileena,” Kitana said. “Are you afraid of heights?”

“What?” she replied. “No! What? Why would—? No!”

“I’m not mocking you. It’s just I’m not, so I think it’s interesting that you—”

“Just shut-up, all right!”

There was a loud clank, and the lift began to sway. Mileena sucked in a breath and went stiff again. She then locked her eyes shut and muttered something under her breath. Kitana decided to let it go and turned to Ermac.

_Author Notes:  
_ _I like adding little quirks to the characters when I can, like Mileena’s drawing and a small hint Kitana’s interested in astronomy. I cut this because, though I thought it funny, it didn’t fit with the tone of the scene and, more importantly, felt like it was setting something up that I knew wouldn’t pay off. If Mileena wound up facing her fear of heights later in the story, I might have kept it, but I knew it wasn’t going to come up again, so I cut it_.

* * *

“Hubris”  
( _Chapter XIX when Kung Lao saves Liu Kang_ )

Liu pulled himself to his feet and looked out the window. The Tarkatans appeared to be in retreat, but the damage was done. The bodies of many Shaolin were strewn about the grounds, and fires still burned. They survived, but this was no victory.

Behind him, Kung Lao removed his hat and bowed his head before his fallen ancestor. “What do you remember, Lao?” he asked. “Is it coming back to you, too?”

“Too much,” he replied. “I see a life where I wanted nothing more than to be Champion of Mortal Kombat that ends in death and damnation. I see another where I never wished to be Champion and was content to leave it to you.”

He stood up and put his hat back on before going to Liu and checking his wound.

“In the latter, I lived to see Armageddon. I suppose there’s a lesson about hubris to be taken from that.”

_Author Notes:  
_ _This came up when I first wrote Chapter XIX, and I liked the idea of acknowledging one of the first big character motivation/personality retcons in Mortal Kombat. But I cut it because it felt unnecessary and also inappropriate for Lao to make sardonic observations over his dead ancestor’s body_.

* * *

**Notes & Trivia**

\- I was reluctant to include Sub-Zero’s sister in the story. Even though she does (or did) exist in canon, we were never given a name, and I felt weird assigning one to her. I also thought her name should fit with her brothers, and I don’t speak Chinese. Luckily, I did find a name that suited her. Someone more familiar with the language might correct me, but according to Google at least, Xue Tianshi translates to “snow angel.”

\- If it wasn’t obvious from her description and the bit of foreshadowing in the first chapter, Harumi becomes essentially an _onryō_ , a vengeful spirit in Japanese folklore. I almost did refer to her as one in the story, but I decided to cut it because I didn’t want to suggest it was its own form—like how there’s apparently a difference between a spectre and a wraith and a revenant in the MK-verse. Her weapon of choice are basically Freddy Krueger claws, and if she was to have a character name, I would probably call her Thorn or something along those lines.

\- Kobalt is completely made up, and there’s no suggestion in the canon Jade has siblings. I wanted his name to link with hers, so it was a choice whether it be another word for green or another gemstone. I went with the latter (though cobalt blue isn’t really a gem). Jade’s folks were Edenian nobles and apparently pretty scummy, so I think implying they’re snooty and pretentious enough to name their children after gems and such works.

\- The two ancient Edenian words that Kitana remembers in Chapter VII are made up. I cobbled together Japanese and Elvish (as in _The Lord of the Rings_ Elves). _Mélie_ is a combination of the Japanese word _ie_ (meaning “house”) and the Elvish word _méla_ (meaning “loving affection”). And _Sekemenai_ is a fusion of the Japanese _sekai_ (meaning “world”) and the Elvish _cemen_ (meaning “earth” and pronounced with a hard C).

\- When Onaga uses the Kamidogu to unleash everyone’s worst fears, I was briefly tempted to have Johnny Cage get attacked by his ex-wife Cindy. I was double-checking certain characters’ names, and according to his MK1 bio, Johnny does indeed have an ex-wife named Cindy Ford. I pictured her storming the house and trying to stab him with a pair of scissors. But I figured that wouldn’t suit the tone of the scene, so I left it at Motaro. Maybe she’ll have her vengeance some other day.

\- Like Kitana and Scorpion, Kabal remembered everything from the start and never believed Onaga’s perfect world. Unlike them, however, it never occurred to him to seek out Raiden, and since he’s not unnatural like Ermac or Sareena, Onaga never sent anyone to eliminate him. So Kabal just spent the week very, very confused.

* * *

I guess the big question is whether there’ll be a sequel, and the truth is I don’t really have one planned. In fact, one of the reasons I even wrote this was because it was a fairly straight-forward beginning, middle and end story. The purpose of the epilogue was to follow up on certain hanging threads and show that, even with the bad guys defeated, there will always be new threat around the corner.

If I’m thinking about what happens next, I know what the beginning of a sequel would look like, there are certain scenes/moments that I have in mind, and I do have ideas on where the story would go. But they’re not very developed and I don’t know how they’d tie together.  
So it’s basically a J.J. Abrams movie at the moment—hiyooo!

I won’t say it’ll never happen, but I wouldn’t count on it anytime soon. I have other things I should be working on, and I need a break anyway. I’m kind of impressed with myself I managed to put out a chapter a week.

At any rate, whatever happens, I want to thank everyone who read this and left comments. I hope you enjoyed my yarn about the broken souls and rejects of Mortal Kombat coming together to save the realms.

Cheers.


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